A Rainy Midnight Run
by LonePhantom756
Summary: When Aerrow can't sleep one night, he decides to take his Skimmer for a midnight run around Terra Tropica. An equally-insomniac Piper joins him. However, an intense storm forces them to take shelter in the jungle... AxP; Rated T for safety.
1. Chapter 1: Unable to Sleep

**Author's Note:** the Storm Hawks series, the events concerned, and the characters are all copyright of Asaph Fipke, Nerd Corps Entertainment Inc., 2007-2009, and any other groups/people that deserve the credit. This is a non-profit work of fanfiction.

Surprise, surprise! For those of you who've read my previous works, especially--I can do more than just Sly Cooper fanfics! Indeed, I have several other fandoms--Storm Hawks happens to be one of them. As a fan of the PiperxAerrow pairing, I'm happy that the canon seems to confirm it--for those who've seen episodes like "Storm Warning," "Forbidden City," and "Stratosphere," you know what I'm talking about. For those who don't, well...those two really do seem to show concern for each other when the going is rough, and they've shared some warm moments together. They haven't done anything openly romantic together, but the signs are there...at least, as far as I'm concerned.

For those of you who prefer PiperxStork, FinnxPiper, Dark AcexAerrow (never DID get that one), feel free to turn back if this isn't your cup of tea. For those of you who support the pairing, or otherwise just like Storm Hawks...read on if you wish!

**Storm Hawks: A Rain-Soaked Midnight Run**

* * *

**  
Chapter One: Unable to Sleep**

The red-haired teenager rolled onto his back and thrust his feet outward one after another, kicking away the covers that seemed to fold over his body like an oppressive shroud. As they slid to the floor of his cabin in a crumpled heap, he let his toned limbs splay outward in a bid to let his body absorb what coolness there was to be had—both in the air, and on the sheets of his mattress. Emerald eyes closed again, and their owner tried his best to let the darkness behind closed lids engulf his thoughts—to let his consciousness drift away, so that the peace he sought might finally be attained.

…

No good. He still couldn't sleep.

With a frustrated sigh, Aerrow opened his eyes and sat up in bed. Reaching up to run his fingers through the tangled mop of his scarlet hair, the young Sky Knight cast a weary gaze over to the small hammock strung up near the cabin window. Curled up in it was his faithful companion and co-pilot—a lanky figure that seemed to be a cross between a hare and a lemur, with pale blue fur that quivered slightly as a soft snore escaped his muzzle. The surprisingly prehensile ears had folded over his eyes, as if to block out any possibility of intruding rays of light that might disturb his rest. Limbs akimbo, the small creature known to most as Radaar slept on, occasionally chittering or crooning quietly as he dreamed about…who knew? Flying the _Condor_, maybe. It was his fondest desire, after all—the encounter with that Sky Siren a while back had proven that.

Shaking his head slightly, Aerrow chuckled. "At least you've got no problem getting to sleep, little buddy," he mused under his breath. "Us humans don't have it so lucky."

It was the third day of the Storm Hawk's week-long vacation around Terra Tropica—after managing to fend off the Cyclonian invasion force that had tried to conquer the popular vacation spot, the team had decided to take a break and hang around for a bit. As Finn had enthusiastically pointed out, even the greatest of the Sky Knights needed to unwind every now and then…and, as he'd slyly added, the grateful citizens of the local resorts would probably be willing to offer a discount for any supplies the _Condor_ might need. With the exception of Stork (who maintained that the surrounding jungles were home to some kind of microbe that would further irritate his apparent "rash"), the rest of the crew had agreed, and they had set up anchor. For the first two days, it had been a typical vacation—lounging on the beach, mingling with the locals, and even attending an evening luau held in recognition of their heroics against the Cyclonians.

Then on the third day, on a sweltering afternoon, the air conditioning on the Condor had broken down. It had taken some scrutinizing examination of the old vessel's internal mechanics, and some paranoid searching of the ventilation by Stork, but the Storm Hawks had ultimately found the source of the problem. It wasn't that the air ducts had been invaded by Aridian Drought Slugs (as Stork had suggested), but rather, it was thanks to the old air conditioner wearing itself out. On top of that, the low-grade Frost Crystal that was housed in the machine's core had been used up. Unfortunately, they didn't have a spare on board—by the time they'd figured out the problem, all the stores on Terra Tropica had closed for the evening. Piper started forging a new Frost Crystal, but had informed the rest of the team wouldn't be ready until the next day. On the manual side of things, Junk had only had partial success in repairing the air conditioner; a full replacement would have to wait until he could track down a shop that sold the parts he needed for a permanent fix.

And so, in the end, there was really nothing for it but to ride out the heat. Nothing to do but wait for Piper's little Frost Crystal to be completed, and for the shops to open the next day. Though the sun's descent had thankfully ended the heat wave that had rendered the _Condor_ interior nigh-uninhabitable, there was still a lingering humidity that made falling asleep difficult. Even now, Aerrow could feel a slight sheen of sweat coating his sleek figure—even stripping down to his boxers hadn't helped as much as he would have liked. Like it or not, it looked like he was stuck awake.

Once again worrying the tangled strands of his spiky red hair with his fingers, Aerrow cast a glance out the porthole and ruefully admired the sky, a mysterious display of midnight ebon that was scattered by the myriad lights of stars. On a narrow ledge of the terra that was visible from this angle, a few palm trees were visible—from the way its wide leaves were rustling, there had to be one heck of a wind outside.

That's when the idea struck. As long as he was awake, and wasn't likely to fall asleep anytime soon…

_Why not? It wouldn't be the first time I've done a midnight run._

With a faint grin, Aerrow strode over to the dresser and pulled it open, rummaging around for his flight suit and gear.

*** * * * * * ***

Five minutes later, the teen Sky Knight was fully dressed in the azure-and-russet hues of the Storm Hawk uniform, complete with the reinforced metal plates that protected his chest, knees, shins, and forearms. For good measure, he'd secured his twin energy daggers to his belt—not that he anticipated any trouble, but he wanted to be ready in case it found him. Grabbing they key to his Skimmer from where it lay on his night-stand, Aerrow cast a thoughtful glance at the slumbering form of Radaar, then decided against waking his co-pilot. It wasn't like this was an emergency, or anything…besides, he imagined it wasn't easy getting to sleep in the first place, what with all that fur.

_Nothing wrong with a solo run,_ he figured. _I'll be fine._

That decided, Aerrow pushed the door open and stepped out into the hallway, turning to make his way towards the hangar. He didn't bother flicking on any light switches as he made his way through the metallic corridors—after all this time, he knew the Condor by heart. From his cabin, he strode past Junko's room, pausing to crack a wry grin as he heard the muffled sound of the powerful Wallop's snoring making its way through the steel door. Evidently, Radaar wasn't the only one who'd been able to find some sleep despite the lack of air conditioning.

_Good_ _old Junko. I guess you're used to this kind of heat._

Moving on, Aerrow made his way to the bridge. From experience, he knew that it was faster to get to the hangar from there—he'd lost count of the times he'd led a charge to the Skimmers to hold off a surprise attack. As he stepped through the doorway, the scarlet-haired teen couldn't help but pause a moment to admire the view; the reinforced glass walls gave the helmsman a breathtaking view of the skies, and tonight was no exception. Through the transparent barrier, Aerrow saw the lush jungle and beaches of Terra Tropica floating nearby—at Stork's insistence, the _Condor_ had anchored on a jagged precipice along its southern side. Beyond the Terra, the night sky was scattered by stars…a black velvet cloak set with gleaming diamonds. With the thick indigo-violet clouds below, and the enigmatic vigil of the moon, the vacation spot had taken on an exotic and mysterious allure.

For a moment, Aerrow was so caught up in the sight that he failed to notice that he wasn't alone on the bridge. That changed quickly enough when someone spoke off to his right. Soft and feminine, the voice was familiar as it was surprising.

"Aerrow? What are you doing up?"

With a start, Aerrow turned. He knew that voice. "Piper?"

Sure enough, there she was—Piper, the Storm Hawks' first officer and crystal specialist. Presently, she wasn't wearing her usual flight suit; her slender, athletic figure was clad in baggy pajama pants and a curve-hugging top that left her midriff bare, exposing a taut stomach. The distinctive orange headband was there, however, keeping Piper's wild azure hair out of her amber eyes …pale orange pools that seemed to fit their owner's cocoa-hued visage perfectly. She was leaning against a nearby railing, a leather-bound book loosely held in one hand as she turned her attention to Aerrow. Knowing her, it was probably a tome on rare crystals and their properties…Piper had a natural talent in the field of forging raw crystals into useful ones; a complex subject that few had truly mastered.

More importantly, she was one of his closest friends—it had been that way ever since their childhood at the mountain-top orphanage where he had grown up, alongside Finn and Radaar. Sure, Radaar was his faithful co-pilot, and Finn was the sharp-eyed wingman who could always lighten the mood with his jokes…but somehow, with Piper, it was different. How, exactly, Aerrow couldn't say for sure…maybe it was because when things got bad, she was always a little more worried about him than everyone else (with the possible exception of Radaar, but that was different). Maybe it was because he didn't know a lot of girls that were as talented and brilliant as she was.

All Aerrow knew was that things just wouldn't be the same without her.

Feeling strangely awkward, Aerrow ran his fingers through his scarlet hair as he cocked his head to one side. "I take it you couldn't sleep, either?" he asked Piper.

The crystal expert shook her head with a lopsided smile. "Nope; it was too stuffy in my room," she replied. "On top of the sounds my crystal forge was making, I couldn't go to sleep…so I came out here." Tapping the book in her hand, Piper lowered her head and sighed ruefully. "I was looking for a way to accelerate the process, but so far, I can't find anything. I'm sorry."

Aerrow shook his head, walking over to her. "Hey, don't worry about it," he said with a good-natured grin. "Thanks to you, we don't have to spend the extra money to purchase a whole _new_ Frost Crystal." He paused, giving her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "Believe me, Piper, no matter how much Finn might've complained about the wait, we're lucky to have you."

Piper looked over to him, a gentle smile touching her lips. "Thanks, Aerrow," she replied softly as her amber eyes found his. "It's nice to hear that."

The red-haired teen felt his heart do a quick jump. Maybe it was the way her pale orange eyes reflected what little light there was, but they seemed to have an almost hypnotic quality as they held his gaze. The softness of her voice, normally so bold and lively, was a surprising and gentle melody. And the way she smiled…something about it made his pulse quicken. He'd only seen her like this a handful of times…once, when he comforted her after her new friend turned out to be Master Cyclonis in disguise; another time, when he'd given her the Oracle crystal he'd found in the heart of the Forbidden City. And then when he'd come back from the stratosphere, when they'd stopped Ravess' Exo-Pod…

Each time, it had been just the two of them, if only for a moment. And though he didn't often have the time to think about it, Aerrow cherished the memories of those times spent with Piper. She was one of his closest friends…but sometimes, he couldn't help but think that there was something more to it than that.

"So, um…why did _you_ come up here?"

Blinking as Piper's voice brought him back to reality, Aerrow found himself looking into his first officer's eyes, and realized he must have been doing that for a few minutes, now. It was hard to tell, since the bridge was so dark, but he could have sworn…was Piper _blushing_, slightly? Given the way she was gazing back at him…

Abruptly, Aerrow found his voice. "Oh. Well, since I couldn't get any sleep, I was thinking of grabbing my Skimmer and taking it out for a little training flight." He paused a moment, then gave Piper a smile. "Want to come along?"

He wasn't sure why he'd asked, exactly…but from the way Piper blinked in surprise, then smiled and slowly nodded, he was glad that he had.

"Sure! Just give me a few minutes to get my gear, and I'll meet you in the hangar!" With those words, Piper slipped through the door. Pausing in the doorway, she looked over her shoulder. For a moment, pale orange eyes found their green counterparts once again, and a small smile touched the crystal expert's lips…and then she was gone, disappearing down the hallway as she made a beeline for her room in search of her flight suit.

As he watched Piper go, Aerrow found himself smiling. He'd originally meant this to be a solo run…but somehow, he was glad that he was going to be having company for this midnight flight.

_**To be Continued…**_

_**

* * *

  
**_

Well, there it is, people! As always, comments and critique are always appreciated. To those of you who prefer characters to BE in-character, let me know if you found my depictions of either Aerrow or Piper to be lacking in that regard. I'm always open to input on how I can improve. : ) Thanks in advance!


	2. Chapter 2: Ready To Fly

**Author's Note:** the Storm Hawks series, the events concerned, and the characters are all copyright of Asaph Fipke, Nerd Corps Entertainment Inc., 2007-2009, and any other groups/people that deserve the credit. This is a non-profit work of fanfiction.

For those of you who might be wondering, I've done some digging on the series, and I've found out about the characters' origins where I can—the episode "Origins" outlines this pretty well. So when I describe where Piper, Aerrow, Finn, and Radaar grew up, it's not something I'm making up. Just thought I'd clear that up.

* * *

**Chapter Two: Ready to Fly**

As she finished fastening the belt of her flight suit, Piper found herself looking at her reflection on her closet door mirror. Where Aerrow's uniform included a stylized combination of dark blue and red, hers was mostly straight azure—from the figure-hugging trousers to the sleeveless tunic that was belted around it; the only change in this was the flaring shoulders, which stood out in a yellow-orange that matched her headband. Further accessories included past-elbow-length gloves that were reinforced at the wrists and top by brown leather; and sleek boots of the same material. Completing the ensemble was the sleek steampunk staff that served as her primary weapon—presently in its compact state, the crystal-harnessing rod was attached to her belt for easy access.

On the whole, she looked like what she was—a skilled pilot of the Storm Hawks, and one who could easily be a Sky Knight in her own right. And yet, for some reason, Piper felt slightly apprehensive.

_Should I take off my headband?_ she wondered. _Let my hair down? Or maybe…_ Then she stopped the thought, fighting the urge to laugh. _What am I __**thinking?**__ This isn't like a date, or anything!_

For a moment, Piper stood there and shook her head, chuckling at herself for letting herself get carried away like some love-struck fan. Really, why was she getting so worked up? Aerrow was her best friend—he had been since they were children, growing up on that remote terra together. As they got older, that bond had persevered—when the time came to choose ranks when they formed the Storm Hawks, he'd asked her to be first officer without a moment's thought. And as they'd continued to carry on the old squadron's mission, their friendship had lasted—more than once, they hadn't been working together on a project so much as they were just hanging out, having fun.

Aerrow was a good friend, just like everyone else on the Condor. But at the same time, it felt…_different_, somehow. Compliments from him somehow meant more to her than when they came from the others. Whenever she was down, he was usually the first to try and cheer her up. If he needed advice or a plan when things got tough, he often counted on her.

_And sometimes, _she thought,_ he does some really nice things for me—like when we went into the Forbidden City, and he brought back that rare crystal for me…_

Piper blinked, realizing that she'd let her thoughts ramble on. Then she realized something else. Not quite believing it, she lifted her hand to her chest. Sure enough, her heart was pounding in her chest. Unbidden, heat raced into her cheeks, and she didn't have to look into the mirror to know that she was blushing. And instinctively, she knew what it might mean.

One way or another, Aerrow was…special.

Shaking her head, Piper chased the thoughts away. She could worry about that later. Right now, Aerrow was waiting in the hangar bay. No sense in being late, even if it wasn't an official mission.

Even so, she couldn't help but steal a last glimpse in the mirror before she ducked out the door.

*** * * * * * ***

In the large expanse of the hangar, Aerrow was leaning against his Skimmer III Ultra and starting to wonder what was keeping Piper. Just as he began to entertain the idea of going back to her room to check, however, the whole point was rendered moot—the door swung open as Piper stepped through, dressed in her uniform and carrying a pair of flight goggles in one hand. And, as he watched her approach, the scarlet-haired teen couldn't help but think she seemed a little different, somehow.

It wasn't that the crystal expert had done anything to her appearance—she looked the same as always. Really, it had more to do with her posture; there was a casual, languid grace to Piper's movements that seemed a little different from how she usually walked. A certain sway to her hips, a fluid pace to her steps. And then there were her eyes—when those pale orange pools met his own, they seemed to light up of their own accord.

Whatever the reason, Aerrow found it difficult to pull his eyes away.

Joining Aerrow by his Skimmer, Piper offered a slightly sheepish smile. "Sorry if I kept you waiting," she apologized. "I just had to check the tuning of my crystal forge." Seeing the Sky Knight's confused expression, she added, "So the Frost Crystal won't get broken while we're gone. Otherwise, I'll have to start all over again."

Blinking as the explanation sunk in, Aerrow nodded and offered a casual shrug. "No problem," he replied with a good-natured grin. "I get the feeling that the others would appreciate the precaution. The sooner we get the air conditioner fixed, the better."

Piper had to stifle a laugh at that—clearly, she remembered the look of indignant dismay on Finn's face when she'd broken the news about the unavoidable delay to the rest of the crew. "Tell me about it," she giggled, her fingers touching her lips. Then she paused, giving Aerrow a small smile. "So…are you ready to fly?"

Aerrow returned the smile, flashing a devil-may-care wink. "You know me, Piper…anytime, anywhere."

The red-haired Knight could have sworn he saw his best friend's smile widen. Then she was climbing into her Heli-Scooter, slipping her key into the ignition and giving it a twist. Not wanting to keep her waiting, Aerrow mounted his motorcycle-esque Skimmer with a practiced ease and inserted his own key. A flick of the wrist brought the III Ultra's engines to life, their throaty rumble providing a rich counterpoint to the more subtle purr of Piper's Heli-Scooter. Reaching over to a small control panel on the nearby wall (which his Skimmer had been parked next to), Aerrow stabbed a thick black button marked with a door symbol. With a hydraulic groan, the wide metal doors at the far side of the hangar began to open, steadily revealing a scenic night sky with Terra Tropica floating in the distance.

To Aerrow, it was the perfect invitation—flying was in his blood, his soul. And with no Cyclonian Talons to pose a threat, or a mission to keep in mind, there was nothing but the sky before him. Nothing else to do but enjoy the exhilaration of flight to the fullest. Looking over to Piper, snug in the cockpit of her Heli-Scooter, he gave her a nod and a smile. She returned it, and for a moment, Aerrow felt a pulse of excitement—one that had nothing to do with the thrill of the flight to come—course through his veins.

_**Kh-VrooooOOOOOOMMMMM!!!!**_

Then they both gunned their motors, inertia pushing them back into their seats as they launched forward. The metal walls and ceiling gave way to open sky as the two Storm Hawks sped through the hangar bay doors, exposing them both to the gusting wind as they raced across the open runway. Throwing a glance down to his gauges, Aerrow saw the speedometer's needle rapidly climb in perfect timing with the roar of his engines. The deck's edge raced towards him, and a thrill of anticipation climbed up his spine as he gripped the throttle-bars.

And then there was no more runway. Aerrow's Skimmer shot into the open sky, and he didn't have to glance to his right to know that Piper was right behind him. For a moment, his stomach began to hollow out as the dizzying sense of free-fall closed in on the plunging hybrid vehicles…

But only for a moment.

In the next second, the Skimmer's double-set of wings had unfolded into their distinctive "X" configuration, and the fall turned into a takeoff; Aerrow leapt into the sky as though launched from a cannon. Letting out an exhilarated whoop of excitement, the red-haired teen glanced over his shoulder and saw Piper right behind him—a panel on the back of her craft had snapped open to deploy a compact set of helicopter blades, which swiftly spun into a blurring disc of movement that carried her into the air. As they rose higher and farther away, the _Condor_ rapidly shrank into the distance behind them, until it was little more than a silhouetted shape against the midnight sky.

For a moment, Aerrow wondered if the "Auto-Door-Closer" that Stork had recently installed had kicked in. Most likely, it had—eccentrics and cobbled-together origins aside, Stork's inventions were more reliable than most people would think. With both active vehicles gone, the sensor would have been triggered, and the hangar doors would have closed. No point in risking unwelcome visitors, after all.

Gripping the handlebars and tightening his legs in the saddle, Aerrow cut back on the throttle and jerked the controls up and to the right. Responding to his gestures, the cerulean-and-gray Skimmer performed a graceful arc that took it upward and through a slow barrel roll…and, ultimately, right over Piper's Heli-Scooter. Now upside-down, Aerrow craned his neck and gazed down at Piper, who looked back up with an expression of surprise on her face—if not for the whirling helicopter blades, they might have been able to reach out and let their fingers intertwine.

As it was, Aerrow was close enough to make a jaunty salute with one hand and flash a playful grin. "Going my way?" he shouted to her over the roar of their engines and the thrum of her rotor.

He was rewarded with a wry smile from Piper. "Show-off!" she called back. There was no trace of the sarcasm that she might have used with Finn's showboating, though—in her voice, and upon her dark, slender features, there was only good-natured amusement and…was it admiration? Once again, Aerrow felt his pulse race at her smile—best friend or not, there was something about it that he always enjoyed seeing.

That's when the idea hit him. "How about a race? he yelled to her. "First one to the far side of Terra Tropica wins?"

Looking up at him, Piper's expression was one of surprise and interest. Then, flashing a daring grin of her own, the crystal specialist raised her hand upwards in a thumbs-up. "You're on!" she replied. "Catch me if you can!" Gunning her motor, she applied an extra burst of crystal energy into her Heli-Scooter's engines and shot forward, making a beeline for the floating island in the distance.

With a devil-may-care thrill—both at the prospect of the race, and at the banter he was sharing with Piper—Aerrow twisted the throttle and fed more power to his own engines, pulling out of the loop and shooting after his close friend. As he began to overtake her, he caught her eye and offered a smile, feeling his heartbeat spike when she returned it. In that moment, he felt a potent sense of connection with the indigo-haired girl alongside him...and he couldn't help but wonder if, perhaps, she felt something similar. Perhaps she did, if the way she held his gaze was any indication.

As the two hybrid aircraft flew towards Terra Tropica, their riders were so caught up in the race that they failed to notice the ominous black clouds in the distance, back the way they had come. Barely visible against the midnight sky, they swept after the two Storm Hawks with an alarming swiftness. However, had either happened to look over their shoulder, they would have noticed the clouds' undersides flashing with barely-contained lightning…

_**To Be Continued…**_

* * *

And there you have it; chapter two is up and posted! For the sake of brevity, I'll save the storm in the summary for the next chapter—that'll leave room open for a detailed race across Terra Tropica, and…well, that would be telling, no? Trust me, I think it'll be worth the wait. Once again, I thrive on your feedback, so feel free to let me know what you think!


	3. Chapter 3: Stormy Skies

**Author's Note:** the Storm Hawks series, the events concerned, and the characters are all copyright of Asaph Fipke, Nerd Corps Entertainment Inc., 2007-2009, and any other groups/people that deserve the credit. This is a non-profit work of fanfiction.

And here we go: Chapter Three. In this installment, you can expect to see a high-velocity race through across (and through) a tropical terra, some more hints of Aerrow and Piper's more-than-friendship bond, and the pivotal storm that has been spoken of in the summary (and hinted at in the previous chapter). Onward, Sky Knight!

**

* * *

  
**

**Chapter Three: Stormy Skies  
**

Terra Tropica was home to more than just scenic beaches and lush jungles—nestled within the dense tropical foliage were the scattered ruins of a long-vanished civilization. From some of the recovered relics and architecture, a few lore-masters from the Atmos Academy had put forth the theory that these ruins might have some connection to the Forbidden City; to date, however, nothing had been proven with any level of certainty. Regardless, the ruins within Terra Tropica's jungles had their own story to tell—and, as some aspiring treasure-hunters believed, secrets to be uncovered.

At the apex of one of those ruins, against the darkness of midnight, there was something present that would have surprised anyone who stumbled onto it—from the interior of a massive hole in the roof, light was radiating from within. Or rather, a pulsing, dusky purple radiance that crackled with smoldering traces of indigo. As the glow grew stronger, painting the surrounding stone an eerie color, the black clouds swept closer and closer…

*** * * * * * *  
**

Piper had a variety of hobbies. When most of her friends thought about this, the first thing that came to mind was crystal-forging…and indeed, Piper was a virtuoso in the complex art of fashioning raw crystals into functional ones; further, she was an expert in using the resulting creations to maximum effect. However, Piper's eclectic talents extended beyond crystals; she was also an unofficial authority in Atmos lore, a formidable practitioner of the airborn martial art known as Sky Fu, and a clever strategist (even if her plans weren't necessarily carried out to the letter). Combined with her considerable talent as an artist and cartographer, Piper was truly a girl of many talents.

However, as the race between herself and Aerrow continued, she was reminded of a fact that was already common knowledge: of the whole Storm Hawks squadron, her best friend and leader was their greatest pilot. Unless you counted Stork, and that was mainly with the _Condor_.

When it came to Skimmers and other personal aircraft, Aerrow was the best, hands-down. Partly due to his daring, and partly due to his natural talent for flying. His inverted conversation with her earlier had only been the beginning.

As they had shot across Terra Tropica for the previous half-hour, the red-haired Sky Knight had handled his ride with the same sort of grace and ease that she utilized with her staff. That in itself was a testament to Aerrow's skill—his Skimmer III Ultra was specially modified for speed; while it had noteworthy armor, the light-weight frame and lack of additional weaponry made the weight factor negligible. On top of this, the Skimmer came equipped with a crystal-powered afterburner—while Aerrow hadn't used it yet, Piper new from previous missions that he could handle piloting maneuvers even with the extra kick from the high-powered booster. Compared to him, Piper knew, her own piloting skills were secondary.

Not that the crystal specialist had any intention of losing, though—she might not be the flying master that Aerrow was, but she had a number of her own advantages in this race. For one thing, her knowledge of crystal application had allowed her to coax more power out of her Heli-Scooter's fuel-economic engines than most thought possible—a special mix of power crystals of her own concoction saw to that. Then, as the race took the two Storm Hawks below the tree-line and into the rainforest for the final stretch, another edge made itself apparent to Piper.

_You might be faster,_ she thought as she pulled lower to the ground, _but I've got the edge in maneuvering!_

Heli-Scooters were well-known for their superior handling compared to Skimmers—what they lacked in speed, they made up for in maneuverability thanks to their helicopter rotors. Piper's model was especially so; between her own adjustments to the Heli-Scooter's crystal engines and Stork's tinkering with the mechanics, the craft was exceptionally agile and capable of turning on a dime. And in a race where the fastest line wasn't always a straight line, that counted for a lot.

This fact became immediately clear as a vast thicket of vines and trees came rushing up towards the two Storm Hawks—as it loomed before the approaching riders, it quickly became apparent that if they were going to keep going at their altitude, they were going to have to land and carry the race along the ground…and they were going to have to do it _fast_. While both riders hit the buttons to retract their flying gear at the same time, Aerrow was forced to brake hard and twist to the right to avoid sliding headlong into the tangled foliage, Piper was able to twist the control bars and take a steep turn that sent her Heli-Scooter through a gap in the trees, the frame jostling as the wheels touched down and began speeding along what soon turned into a winding path through the jungle.

Casting a quick glance into her rear-view mirror, the Crystal Mage saw Aerrow pulling after her, wings retracted back alongside his Skimmer…only now, the distance between them favored _her_. With a faint grin, Piper twisted the throttle on her control bars and sent an extra burst of speed into her Heli-Scooter.

_This race isn't over just yet, flyboy_, she thought playfully as she went racing forward into the jungle.

*** * * * * * ***

Aerrow was impressed by Piper's maneuvers—he knew about her Heli-Scooter's superior handling, but that alone wouldn't have given the advantage in this environment. As far as he was concerned, a pilot's skills were more of a major deciding factor than their ride…and no novice could have had the reflexes and timing needed to make minutes turns at the last minute, sacrificing as little speed as possible while avoiding the maze of trees, rocks, and protruding roots throughout the jungle. Compared to Piper's greater maneuverability, most Skimmer pilots would have found themselves at a disadvantage in the complex terrain.

But then again, Aerrow wasn't most Skimmer pilots. Even as Piper pulled further ahead, gaining a little more ground with each steep turn, the teenage Sky Knight continued to focus on avoiding the various obstacles in his path. All the while, he kept his sharp eyes focused on the terrain ahead, looking for an opening. Fifteen minutes passed with no such opportunity, and Piper's Heli-Scooter pulled further and further ahead. Ignoring the gnawing unease in his gut, the red-haired Storm Hawk kept his eyes open—sooner or later, he knew, his chance would come. He just had to be ready for it…

Then he saw it. With only tens of seconds to act, Aerrow's eyes fed the information to his brain in quick pieces of vision—the gaping space between two large trees up ahead, wide enough to fit a Skimmer through. The stretch of open terrain that waited beyond those vine-encircled trunks, with no obstacles to be seen. The upward-slanted slab of mossy rock that lay dead ahead, its upward side pointing towards to the trees. And finally the distinctive red button on his throttle-bars that triggered the afterburner. From these segments of perception, an idea came together in Aerrow's mind…not even so much a conscious plan than instinctive thought. Even then, he knew it was a risky gambit—the less charitable might have even called it _crazy_.

_But hey, when did __**that**__ ever stop me?_

With that thought and a daring grin, Aerrow twisted the throttle-bars to line the nose of his Skimmer up with the rock's upward side, one thumb resting against the afterburner button. Instinctively, his eyes narrowed into slits; his field of vision sharpened on the rock looming up before him and the open path that lay beyond the trees ahead. A surge of anticipation shot through the Sky Knight's veins, burning away any apprehension. The thrill was what he lived for!

Then Aerrow felt a shudder run through the frame of his ride as its forward tire hit the inclined slope of moss-covered stone, propelling the hybrid motorcycle upward. With adrenaline coursing through his veins, he thumbed the afterburner.

*** * * * * * ***

As the edge of the rainforest drew closer, Piper could make out a ledge beyond the trees; beyond that ledge was empty sky. It had been a convoluted path through the jungle, but if her navigation and sense of direction were right—and neither had failed her in the past—then she was closing in on the opposite side of Terra Tropica. As soon as she cleared the trees and took off the edge, the race between her and Aerrow would end, with her as the winner. In a way, the prospect surprised her—sure, her Heli-Scooter was more maneuverable in the complex terrain of the jungle, but she figured that it would have been a lot closer than this. The way Aerrow had been falling behind, it was as if he wasn't even…

_**Khr-Vrrm-Vrrm-VRRRRRROOOOOOOOOMMMM!!!!**_

…_Trying??_

The unexpected roar of a souped-up engine made Piper look over her shoulder in surprise. And just like that, she realized she'd underestimated her squad leader—flying like a missile through the space between two large trees she had just passed, Aerrow's Skimmer III Ultra had brilliant blue flames erupting from its engines, hurling it forward at a velocity that would have been foolhardy under other circumstances. In the hands of the Sky Knight who hunched low over the controls, however, the maneuver was enough to close the gap between the two Storm Hawks—as the break in the jungle raced towards them, Piper found herself staring at the red-haired teen as his Skimmer came down right alongside her Heli-Scooter, bouncing a couple times from momentum but holding steady in its course.

_I can't believe he just did that!! _she thought in disbelief._ Is he trying to get himself killed??_

Now neck and neck, Aerrow and Piper shot out of the jungle, their craft racing for the edge of the Terra like Vulca-Bats out of the Black Gorge. With the thrill of the race flooding through them both, the two Storm Hawks fed more power to their crystal-fueled engines and stepped on their accelerators. The ledge was three miles away…two miles…one…and then, with a spray of grass and dust, the two hybrid vehicles launched off the edge, wings and rotor unfolding to carry their riders skyward once again. Side by side, they rose into the sky…and thanks to his faster engines, Aerrow was a few crucial inches ahead. He'd won.

Looking over to Aerrow, Piper let a rueful smile cross her face. "Looks like you're still our best pilot, Aerrow...I guess I shouldn't have expected to beat you so easily."

The Sky Knight shook his head, his forest-green eyes finding hers. "I wouldn't be too sure, Piper," he replied with a modest smile. "If it hadn't been for that gap in the trees, you might have had too much of a lead for me to catch up at the end."

Unexpectedly, Piper felt her cheeks grow warm. Looking for a way to change the subject before her best friend noticed, she decided to address the stunt that had decided the race. "That was insane, what you did back there," she pointed out in a tone of would-be admonishment. "If you'd been a little farther to the right, you'd have…!"

Aerrow cut her off with a good-natured grin. "Hey, it worked, didn't it?"

The red-haired teen's smile was infectious, and Piper couldn't help but smile back. "You're right, it did," she admitted. Her exasperation had quickly passed—such daring deeds were a cornerstone of who Aerrow was. That bravery, and that willingness to try the seemingly impossible, was part of why he was such a talented pilot. It was how he'd kept his calm and never faltered in his resolve, even back when so few had taken his claim as a Sky Knight seriously. It was one of the qualities that made him such a heroic leader.

And it was one of the things that she found so endearing about him.

Then Piper blinked as she noticed the dull humidity in the air, felt its distinct sensation against her dark skin. Looking around she saw what the dense jungle had shielded from her sight earlier. Black clouds had gathered around Terra Tropica—while barely visible against the night sky, the massive formations of frozen water vapor were made more visible by the sporadic flashes of angry light along their undersides. A deep, menacing rumble filled the skies a moment later; Piper didn't have to consult the barometer on her control panel to know that a storm was brewing. And, if the repeated flashes of forming lighting within the clouds were any indication, it promised to be a nasty one, indeed.

Feeling a foreboding sense of concern close in on her, the crystal specialist looked over to Aerrow. "We'd better get back!" she called over to him, feeling her apprehension rise as she noticed the wind starting to pick up. "If this gets any worse, we'll get caught in the storm!"

From the way Aerrow was looking at the clouds, he'd already reached the same conclusion. Nodding to her, he twisted the throttle of his Skimmer and did a 180, flying back in the direction they'd originally came from. Piper was right behind him, trying to ignore the first drops of rain that spattered against her cheeks as they flew back towards the _Condor_.

*** * * * * * ***

In those ruins, the light that emanated from the hole in the roof intensified, pulsing faster and faster by the second. The surrounding clouds seemed to darken in response; the wind rose to a steady howl. Then the glow reached a climax—a flash of dusky violet was spat upward into the night.

And just like that, the building storm was unleashed.

*** * * * * * ***

The rain had come seemingly out of nowhere—at first, it had only been a minor drizzle that sleeted against Aerrow's face and the hull of his Skimmer. With a swiftness that had been almost instantaneous, however, the light rain had progressed into a torrential downpour—it was as though the clouds had simply split open and unleashed the full contents of their depths down on him and Piper. The pounding rain soaked through his flight suit and chilled him to the bone; worse, the downpour made it harder to see where he was going—as it was, he'd lost sight of the _Condor's_ silhouette amidst the pouring rain. He would have raised an arm to ward off the torrent, but he needed to keep both hands on the throttle-bars—the constant rush of water had made rubber grips slick under his fingers.

To make matters worse, the wind had graduated into a hurricane gale; the Skimmer bucked and strained beneath him like a phoenix as he fought to stay on course. Gritting his teeth, Aerrow tightened his grip on the controls and twisted them this way and that, guiding his Skimmer through along the currents to dodge the full brunt of the wind s best he could. Even with the powerful engines of the III Ultra, this was a task easier said than done—especially since the gale's force was intensifying by the second. There was the afterburner, of course, but Aerrow kept his fingers away from the button that would activate it—not because of the potential risk of overloading the engine given the extreme conditions, but because using it would mean leaving Piper that much further behind—alone to fend for herself against the storm.

_Just like the last time…if it hadn't been for Lark—no, Cyclonis—Piper would have been…_

Feeling an chill run down his spine, Aerrow threw a glance over his shoulder. To his relief, Piper's Heli-Scooter was still visible, and not that far away—he could even see Piper from here, her amber eyes narrowed behind her flight goggles as she fought with the controls of her craft . Despite the weaker engines of the Heli-Scooter, its higher maneuverability was enough to let it dodge its way through the air currents while Piper searched for the least aggressive ones. Even so, he couldn't quite let go of his concern—especially when he saw the way her slender fingers were white-knuckled around the handlebars, and the way the wind was pushing her craft about like a toy boat in the ocean.

_Thwack!!_ With a cry of pain, Aerrow instinctively clapped a hand the side of his head—something hard had struck him; not too large, but moving fast enough to send pain coursing through his temple. In the space of several seconds, more objects followed the first—some sent stings across his chest and limbs, while others glanced off the hull of his Skimmer with sharp _tings_ and _clanks_.

Instantly, Aerrow realized what was going on. _Great, _he thought._ Now it's hailing._ Forget about getting back to the _Condor_; at this rate, they'd never make it before the hail became too heavy, or the wind blew them way off course—or out of their seats. There was only one thing left to do…

"Piper!" he shouted out loud, looking over his shoulder. "The storm's getting too heavy! We're gonna have to land and find shelter in the jungle!"

As he looked on, Piper, barely visible through the pouring rain, stared back at him from her Heli-Scooter. She shouted something in reply, but the howling wind blotted it out. In a flash of insight, Aerrow realized that she probably hadn't heard _him_, either. Thinking quickly, the red-haired teen drew one of his lightning daggers from his belt and thumbed the activation switch. As electric-blue energy ignited along the blade, Aerrow jabbed downwards, pointing with his weapon towards Terra Tropica.

Piper must have gotten the message, because she waved in reply before grabbing the controls and throwing her Heli-Scooter into a steep turn, changing course so that she was flying towards the Terra below. Relieved, Aerrow twisted the throttle-bars of his Skimmer to follow suit, sending the cerulean craft zooming after his close friend.

Then there was a flash of blinding light. A jagged streak of electricity. A distinctive _crack_.

And then, through the pouring rain, the faint stench of smoke and flame.

When Aerrow's opened his eyes again, he found himself staring at a trailing plume of smoke where Piper's Heli-Scooter had been only moments before. A sickening dread rising in his heart, the Sky Knight followed the smoke downwards…and as the next flash of lightning lit up the sky, with the accompanying clap of thunder resounding like the triumphant laugh of some dark god, Aerrow saw the craft plunging towards the ground far below. And from this angle, he could make out the familiar figure who was slumped against the controls, fingers still clutched tightly around the handlebars.

Aerrow's heart stopped.

**"_PIPER!!!"_**

_**To Be Continued…**_

* * *

What was the meaning of the light in that dark temple? What is its connection to the storm? More importantly, Is Piper all right? The answers will be revealed in the next chapter, so keep the faith, fellow Sky Knights!

Incidentally, the storm Aerrow is referring to was seen in the episode "Best Friends Forever—Piper was caught in a storm and nearly blown away, only to be rescued by a mysterious young girl who called herself Lark. For a while, it looked like she and Piper were going to be best friends…that was, until she revealed herself to be Master Cyclonis in disguise. So there's a little bit of episode reference for you all. :D

Until the next chapter, dear readers…!


	4. Chapter 4: Back on the Condor

**Author's Note:** the Storm Hawks series, the events concerned, and the characters are all copyright of Asaph Fipke, Nerd Corps Entertainment Inc., 2007-2009, and any other groups/people that deserve the credit. This is a non-profit work of fanfiction.

Chapter Four has arrived, readers. The reason or its delay can be chalked up to a combination of writer's block, real-life obligations, and the debate as to whether to split it up into two chapters. Ultimately, as the massive amount of content would have made this an exceptionally long read, I decided on the latter course of action.

As such, you'll have to wait a little bit longer to see if Piper's okay; for the moment, we cut back to the _Condor_…

**

* * *

  
**

**Chapter Four: Back on the Condor  
**

"Dude, what's goin' on?!" Finn yelled as he burst through the door and onto the bridge, clad in haphazardly-donned pajamas. "Ain't it bad enough that the air conditioning's—?!"

At that moment, the _Condor_ bucked and tilted to one side, and the blond-haired sharpshooter was sent stumbling with a yelp of alarm. Momentum carried him headlong into the railing—_thud!_—and the air was forced out of his lungs as he doubled over, instinctively grabbing the slightly-rusted metal bars to keep his balance. As he gasped for breath, Finn looked up and glanced about wildly, feeling his panic mount as he took in a seemingly empty bridge—as far as he could tell, his friends were nowhere to be seen—

_Dude, where __**is**__ everybody?!—_

—Then his eyes found the helm, where a steampunk control panel with handlebars hung from the ceiling on a mechanical stalk. As he did a double-take, the sharpshooter realized he wasn't alone, after all—there was no mistaking the lanky Merb who was at the controls, a vaguely-reptilian/humanoid figure clad in a uniform of brown and turquoise. It was a relieving sight—Finn had learned the hard way that there was no way he could steer the _Condor_ the way Stork could.

The Merb in question threw a glance over his shoulder as he heard the commotion from Finn's entry, his pale green features taut with concentration behind a spiky curtain of black hair. "What's _going on_," the paranoid genius replied tersely, "is that a storm of _apocalyptic_ proportions just hit, and I'm trying to keep us from being yanked off our moorings!"

Finn didn't need to be told about the storm—one glance out the forward windows was all he needed. Outside, the sky had become dark with more than just midnight; the stars were lost behind roiling black clouds that unleashed a relentless torrent of rain and hail. The downpour nearly obscured Terra Tropica, reducing it to a dark shadow within the fog of water and ice. Silhouetted against the night by sporadic bursts of lightning, the tropic foliage could be seen whipping about as a hurricane gale buffeted the island. The signs of the storm weren't just visual, either—the raging howl of the wind could be heard over the sound of hail and rain battering against the glass (Finn was suddenly _very_ glad Stork had insisted on investing in a reinforced canopy), along with the crashing roar of thunder after each jagged finger of lightning.

Combined with the way that the _Condor's_ deck was lurching under Finn and Stork's feet, all these details were testament to one very simple fact—for once, Stork wasn't exaggerating about the danger they were in.

Gripping the railing, Finn straightened up. "Where's everybody else?" he asked quickly, casting a worried glance around the otherwise-empty bridge. Despite the danger they faced, he couldn't help but pause to wonder: _How could anyone sleep through __**this?? **_

Stork shook his head. "Don't know, and I can't go looking for 'em! Circumstances presented, I'm needed _here_ if we're going to survive!" He paused, a morbid smirk touching his pale green features. "Not that I'm giving any guarantees, with this storm."

As if to drive the point home, a new sound worked its way through the glass—a sharp metallic _twang_. The sound was soon accompanied by the sight of a long cable whipping past the Condor's starboard hull, its length ending in a thick metal cylinder with powerful grappling claws. As the next flash of lightning cast harsh light across the bridge, Finn felt a chill run down his spine—he knew what that cable was, and what the sight of it flying meant.

"Dude! One of the anchor lines just—!"

"I _**saw**_," Stork cut him off through gritted teeth, his pale yellow eyes focused on the gauges of the helms' control panel. Even without the arrows that were whirling downward, the danger was clear—with the lost anchor, the _Condor_ began to list noticeably to one side. Gripping the handlebars of the steering mechanism, the paranoid genius yanked it hard to one side, stabbing a couple of buttons on the control panel at the same time. "Gotta reduce the stress on the others…!"

There was a throaty rumble as the _Condor's_ engines flared to life, and the deck shuddered powerfully beneath the two Storm Hawks' feet as the battle-hardened carrier waged war against the forces of gravity. For a few harrowing moments, it seemed like a lost cause…then the opposing force provided by the powerful turbines finally won out, and the view outside the bridge's canopy became level as the _Condor_ righted itself.

Looking out the windows as he relaxed his grip on the railing, Finn let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "Man," he remarked, shaking his head with a relieved grin, "Talk about cutting it _way_ too clo—!"

_**KRAKA-KRA-KABOOOOOOOOO-OOOOOOOOOMM!!!! **_

"—YaaaaAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!!!"

Drawing back instinctively as a rapid-fire volley of lightning erupted outside the canopy, Stork winced—sure, those deadly fingers of electricity had arced _far_ too close to the Condor's hull for his liking, but his reaction had mostly come from the panicked scream that assaulted his elf-like ears. With an annoyed sigh, the pale green Merb started to look over his shoulder. "Yes, we're going to die," he remarked dryly. "Screaming in my ear will _not _change tha…"

Then Stork blinked, trailing off as he saw the hulking figure that had just joined him and Finn on the bridge—evidently, the tremendous roar of thunder had finally succeeded in rousing Junko, the Storm Hawks' mechanic and strongman. Clad in his usual dark teal slacks and forest-green shirt (the latter secured with dull tan plates of protective armor), the rhino-esque Wallop had a nonplussed look on his face as he looked from Stork to Finn—the latter of whom was presently peeling himself off Junko's muscular abdomen with a dazed groan. Having freaked at the chaotic lightning display, Finn had instinctively recoiled from the railing—and, in the process, ran headlong into his old friend without realizing it.

"Oogh…hey, Junko," Finn wheezed as he managed a wry grin, trying to suck air back into his lungs. "Glad y'could join us."

Looking down at him, the Storm Hawks' resident Wallop offered a sheepish smile and rubbed the back of his neck. "Hey, Finn. Sorry 'bout that." Then he paused, looking around with a puzzled expression. "Uh…where's Aerrow?" he asked. "And Piper? I thought they'd be up here, already…"

Finn and Stork looked at each other, the point sinking in. Then back to Junko. And, more or less in unison: "No idea."

Junko blinked, concern evident on his earth-hued features. "Huh?? But…shouldn't we—?"

Before he could finish the thought, a series of distinct metallic _cracks _were heard—muffled from the canopy, and clearly originating from outside. Looking out the windows, Junko, Finn, and Stork stared in mute dread as several more of the _Condor's_ anchor lines broke free from the rocky spires they had been anchored to.

"This won't end well," Stork observed with a deadpan monotone.

Then, with a hull-rattling shudder, the Condor began to lurch downward, the view outside the canopy shifting to that of the endless sea of clouds that blanketed the fathomless drop to the Wastelands below…

_**To Be Continued…**_

_**

* * *

  
**_

For those who've long been waiting for an update, I apologize. My inspiration comes and goes of its own will; and my personal standard of quality prevents me from publishing a chapter until I'm satisfied that it'll be worth reading. My personal credo, ladies and gents—if I do something, I try to make sure that I do it properly. Quality usually trumps quantity, after all.

As always comments and criticism are equally welcome—I'd love to know if I might have done a better job of capturing the characters of the rest of the Condor's crew, and not just Aerrow and Piper. After all, being able to make a number of characters individually unique when read is something I aspire to pull off—even if they're not the stars of the story.

Well, time to work on the next chapter—which is about 80% complete by now. Later, folks!


	5. Chapter 5: Crash Landing

**Author's Note:** the Storm Hawks series, the events concerned, and the characters are all copyright of Asaph Fipke, Nerd Corps Entertainment Inc., 2007-2010, and any other groups/people that deserve the credit. This is a non-profit work of fanfiction.

Chapter Five has arrived, readers. I originally didn't intend for the wait to be this long—as I mentioned in Chapter Four, this was initially about 80% done at the time. However, I was struck by a mixture of writer's block and the impression that I could do better. I'll explain more at the end of the chapter...

**

* * *

**

**Chapter Five: Crash Landing**

The instruments on Aerrow's control panel were going wild as he threw his Skimmer into a steep dive, but their warnings didn't matter. The rain and hail lashed at his face and shoulders as he plunged towards Terra Tropica —even now, blood trickled from shallow cuts across his cheek and hands—but that didn't matter, either. The storm raged all around him; lightning and thunder followed each other in chaotic succession…but that was irrelevant. The bucking of his Skimmer as the wind shoved at the vehicle, the arrow that was climbing towards the "overheated" section of his engine gauge, the way his stomach leaped into his throat as he plummeted…to Aerrow, _none_ of it mattered.

All that mattered was that Piper, his closest friend since childhood, had just been struck by lightning. Only one thing counted, now: catching up to Piper's falling craft, and saving her before she crashed. Up ahead, the young Sky Knight could see Piper's Heli-Scooter—that thick plume of smoke trailing from its sleek hull made it hard to miss, even through the lashing rain and darkness. With its engine fried by the lightning bolt, the versatile craft was in freefall, tumbling in a corkscrew death-spiral towards the Terra below. With his sharp eyesight, Aerrow could also make out Piper's inert figure in the pilot's seat, slumped against the controls and seemingly oblivious to her plight. From this angle and distance, he couldn't tell if she was conscious...or, for that matter, if she was even still ali—

Aerrow shook his head abruptly, chasing away the notion before it had time to form. _She's gotta be alive_, he thought, trying to resist the desperation that threatened to engulf him. _She __**has**__ to be! _

For a moment, Aerrow's dread became almost overwhelming…but then he clenched his jaw, trapping the impending scream behind gritted teeth. Forcing the panic to the back of his mind, the Sky Knight focused his attention on the falling Heli-Scooter. As he gunned the throttle, the red-haired teen felt his Skimmer shudder violently; the wind was wrenching the craft about like a bone in the jaws of a dog, threatening to blow it off course. To make matters worse, a faint whine of protest rose from the port thruster as the extra burst of speed pushed it closer to the limit—was it just his imagination, or was that _smoke_ beginning to wisp from the engine casing?

The sensible thing would have been to let up on the throttle, or veer off entirely. But Aerrow wasn't willing to do either—not with Piper's life at stake. More than ever, he'd have to trust his luck—and hope that this wasn't the day when it finally ran out…

Suddenly, without warning, the engine on Piper's Heli-Scooter flared, and the hybrid craft jumped to the right—too quickly to have been caused by the wind, or by a lightning-induced malfunction. A few moments later, the hybrid aircraft began to tilt upward, as though trying to level out…and the motions were too deliberate for the Heli-Scooter to have been pushed that way by the wind alone. Sudden hope rising in his chest, Aerrow leaned forward on his Skimmer, trying to get a better look at the Heli-Scooter's pilot seat. Was it possible…_?_

_Yes!_ Sure enough, Piper was moving! She was certainly a little out of it—even from this distance, Aerrow could see that she was still half-slumped at the controls and shaking her head as if trying to clear it—but even so, the Crystal Mage was clearly _awake_…and, from the look of things, fully aware of her situation. Even as Aerrow watched, his closest friend was wrestling with the Heli-Scooter's controls, trying to pull the fuel-economic craft out of its death-spiral. It appeared to be a lost cause—the hybrid aircraft seemed to be locked into its downward plunge—but still, Piper fought on. How she'd bounced back so quickly, Aerrow didn't know…and frankly, he didn't care. All that mattered was that Piper was _alive_.

The sense of relief didn't last long—looking up ahead, the Sky Knight felt icy fingers grasp his spine as he saw what lay ahead. The remaining distance to Terra Tropica had been cut in half—once so far away, the jungle canopy now loomed in Aerrow's field of vision like a verdant wall; an expanse of tangled branches and thick foliage were all that would stand between his wingmate and the unforgiving ground. At their current velocity, it didn't make much difference whether Piper hit the trees the ground, first—she'd be killed either way. And to make matters worse, he wasn't catching up to her fast enough…

Instinctively, Aerrow brought his thumb to the afterburner button. Just as he was about to press it, however, a sudden thought gave him pause. Using the powerful booster always involved a certain level of risk—as Stork had warned him when they'd first installed it, the crystal-enhanced afterburner had a one-in-seventeen chance of overloading. Considering the potent-but-volatile energy source, the resulting explosion could easily destroy his engines—if not the entire _Skimmer_. Involuntarily, Aerrow's eyes strayed to the output gauge, and a chill coursed his spine as he saw the needle quivering dangerously close to the red zone. With his engines already pushed to their limit, the one-in-seventeen odds had probably escalated...ten-in-seventeen, perhaps? _Fifteen?_

Aerrow's hesitation lasted only a second, however. One glance up ahead—at the person who meant more to him than anyone else in Atmos—was all that the teenage Sky Knight needed. Narrowing his eyes, he punched the button and held on tight…

*** * * * * * ***

Piper's world was one of raging wind and lashing rain, punctuated by the crashing growl of thunderbolts. The hail was relentless, biting into her dark skin and the hull of her Heli-Scooter in equal measure. The sickening hollow of free-fall hung in her gut as she plummeted towards the Terra below, and her vision spun from the disorientation of waking up so suddenly. To top it all off, Piper's nerves buzzed painfully, and her temples throbbed with a dull, pulsing ache; both likely caused by the lightning strike. For all of these distractions, however, the Crystal Mage found that her mind was surprisingly clear. She knew what had happened—and how she'd survived it—and the awareness of her situation burned through the fog in her brain, leaving her with a frightening sense of clarity. Alarm surpassed discomfort and locked it away, allowing her to concentrate on the task at hand.

The survival instinct had a way of gripping the mind and not letting go.

Trying to ignore the frightening sense of emptiness in her stomach, Piper stabbed several buttons on her control panel, making a valiant attempt to get the rotor working properly. It was an exercise in futility—above her, the blades sputtered and spun, but only in intermittent bursts. Small as it was, these random bursts of activity _did_ provide some lift—Piper felt the jolts that shivered through the chassis beneath her—but it wasn't enough to overcome gravity's inexorable hold; the Heli-Scooter was still falling, and too quickly. Biting her lip against the scream that wanted to escape, the crystal expert balled one of her hands into a fist and hammered the controls, venting the panic that was threatening to engulf her.

"Come on, come _on!"_ she shouted at the gauges in desperation. "_Fly_, damn it!!"

All to no avail. The engine gave a muffled cough, and the various lights flickered once, but that was it. She was going to crash, there was nothing she could do about it.

As Terra Tropica grew larger in her field of vision, Piper inexplicably found her thoughts turning to Aerrow. Every moment they'd shared from childhood to present, the fun times they'd had together, all that he'd done for her…it all went through her head in a matter of moments, a strip of film racing through a projector on the verge of breaking. Those memories had always claimed a special place in the Crystal Mage's heart…and in what could very well be the last few moments of her life, they'd never held greater value. Despite her situation, these flashbacks offered some degree of comfort…there was something about Aerrow's knowing smirk, his devil-may-care outlook on the dangerous odds they usually faced, that was infectious. Indeed, that sense of relief was the one recurring element that bound all these unique experiences together—whenever she'd needed him the most, Aerrow had always been there for her.

Would he be there for her, now? Had he seen what had happened; would he come to save her? Or had the lashing rain clouded his view, and kept him from noticing her fall as he flew for shelter?

Or…had the storm claimed_ him, _as well? Had the raging wind wrenched her best friend from his Skimmer, hurled him into the empty sky and sent him plunging to his death? For a moment, the thought became a vision—in her mind's eye, Piper saw a familiar figure sprawled out amidst the Wastelands, the blasted and unforgiving landscape that lurked beneath Atmos' limitless sea of clouds. Unable to block out the mental image, she could only stare at the smoldering wreck of the Air Skimmer that served as her best friend's tombstone…the way his limbs were bent at horrible angles…and how those bright green eyes went dim, their owner's life flowing across the jagged rocks in a pool of vivid crimson…

Piper shut her eyes tightly, trying to crush the thought. _Aerrow…!_

_**Kh-V**__**RROO**__**OO**__**O**__**OOSSS**__**SSSH**__**H**__**HH!!!!**_

Then she heard it. Despite the howling wind and the stentorian roar of thunder, there was no mistaking the distinctive roar of those powerful engines—muffled, but getting louder by the second. With a surge of disbelief and hope that filled her like liquid fire, the Crystal Mage opened her eyes and looked over her shoulder…and there he was. Like the answer to her silent prayer.

Aerrow had come for her.

As if taking his squadron's namesake to heart, the Sky Knight was plunging after her in a steep vertical dive, fiery blue exhaust trailing from his thrusters like a blazing comet. The strain that he was putting on his ride was obvious, even from this distance—the motorcycle-hybrid aircraft was vibrating from the exertion; the port thruster was bleeding dark smoke in a constant stream; and sparks danced along the craft's azure chassis as internal mechanisms threatened to overload. If Aerrow's Air Skimmer had been a lesser model, it would have surely torn itself apart by now…and even though the III Ultra was known for superior performance, it was clearly being pushed dangerously close to its limits—if not _past_ them.

It was also clear that Aerrow knew all of this—and couldn't care less. While this disregard for safety was nothing new for the daredevil Sky Knight, there was something different about it, this time—as she watched him drew closer, Piper could make out the determination on her best friend's face, the way his forest-green eyes had narrowed, how his jaw had tightened. There was none of the mischievous streak that so often accompanied the red-haired teen's death-defying stunts…only the conviction of someone who was risking their life for something of great value. And instinctively, Piper knew what was driving Aerrow to these lengths.

_It's for me,_ she thought, her mind surprisingly clear. _It's crazy, even for __**him**__—but he's doing it, anyway. To save me._

Aerrow would do the same for anyone else, Piper knew. Not just for the rest of his friends, but for any decent person who needed help—that was just the sort of person he was. Even so, the Crystal Mage felt an inexplicable warmth blossom in her heart, melting the icy dread that had coiled around her spine. No matter how much her logical side argued that this was nothing new for Aerrow, another part of her insisted otherwise. Somehow, there was something about this that set it apart from her best friend's usual heroics…something much more _intense. _It was a subtle thing—maybe just her agitated mind placing meaning where there was none—but it was there, all the same.

Then Aerrow put on another burst of speed, ignoring the tongues of flame that ignited along his port engine as he drew even with Piper. As they plunged towards the jungle side by side, the Sky Knight brought his Skimmer in close—tilting so that his wings wouldn't scrape Piper's Heli-Scooter—and reached out with one hand. Understanding the gesture, the azure-haired navigator reached out as well; her fingers found his palm and closed around it. Instinctively, their eyes met, emerald locking with amber…and Piper felt her heart racing for reasons that had nothing to do with her peril.

Maybe it _wasn't_ just her imagination, after all…

There was no time to dwell on it. Gripping Aerrow's hand firmly and steeling her nerves, Piper pushed herself out of her seat and leaped—with his help, she easily crossed the gap between her Heli-Scooter and his Skimmer, hitting the side of the latter with her feet and quickly clambering aboard. Even as she was settling in behind Aerrow, she felt the Skimmer lurch as the red-haired Sky Knight yanked on the handlebars, pulling his craft out of the dive. As the defunct Heli-Scooter tumbled into the jungle below, the Skimmer III Ultra leveled out, racing above the canopy while Aerrow looked around, obviously looking for a safe place to land. For a moment, Piper allowed herself a sense of relief.

_**KHA-BAHM!!!!!!!**_

Without warning, the port thruster _exploded_. Flame burst through the shredded chassis of the engine casing, forcing Aerrow and Piper to duck as metallic shrapnel flew in all directions. Then, as if triggered by that explosion, the starboard thruster suddenly sputtered and died out; the brilliant blue glow from the exhaust port flickered twice before giving way to thick black smoke. Within the Skimmer's main body, the main engine let out a throaty cough, then joined the aerial thrusters in heart-stopping silence. The III Ultra kept going for a few more moments, but that was just momentum—the hybrid vehicle was nothing more than dead weight, now. A few moments later, the Skimmer started to lose altitude, its nose dipping downward as it began plunging back towards Terra Tropica.

The strain had finally caught up with the Skimmer's internal mechanisms; the afterburner had overloaded the engines. After all this, they were _still_ going to crash.

The realization sent ice water through Piper's veins, and she instinctively clutched at Aerrow's shoulders. "Now what??"she shouted over the wind, unable to keep the desperation out of her voice. Even as she spoke, the Crystal Mage felt her best friend's body go tense; she saw the shock in his eyes as he looked over his shoulder at her. For a moment, they were united in their dread, the whirling panic that only impending death can bring. But then something in Aerrow's expression changed—the fear melted away, replaced by the astonishment of sudden inspiration. And then his eyes narrowed with purpose, their forest-hued irises holding hers with a reassuring gleam.

"No problem!" the Sky Knight yelled back, shouting to be heard over the wind. "We're getting off here!"

Piper stared blankly at him. But even as she was opening her mouth to reply—something to the effect of _"What?!"_—Aerrow was moving. With the agility of a born acrobat, he vaulted out of the saddle, defying gravity and sanity alike as he landed on the Skimmer's upper starboard wing. For a moment, wind and momentum shoved against his wiry frame, threatening send him flying off into empty space. However, countless hours logged in aerial combat had turned Aerrow into a seasoned wing-rider—he quickly regained his balance despite the harsh conditions, dropping into a crouch to minimize wind contact. Seizing the III Ultra's windscreen for balance, the Sky Knight leaned forward and reached out to Piper with his free hand.

"Grab on!" he shouted to her. "Hurry!"

That's when Piper understood. _This just might be crazy enough to work_, she had time to think.

Once more, she reached out to take her leader's hand, her dark-hued fingers entwining with his. In the next moment, Aerrow was helping her out of her seat, his grasp aiding her balance in the raging wind as she climbed up onto the Skimmer's wing. No sooner had Piper found her footing than had the red-haired Sky Knight pulled her close, his toned arms folding around her slender figure in a protective embrace. For a moment, the azure-haired navigator felt a shiver run down her spine—a peculiar thrill that had nothing to do with the fear of death. Then she was wrapping her arms around Aerrow's neck, instinctively pressing herself closer against his sleek frame. As the jungle came rushing up towards them, she met his gaze and nodded quickly, holding on tight. It was now or never.

Aerrow returned the nod, his eyes holding hers…and then the red-haired Sky Knight leaped from the Skimmer's wing, throwing himself into empty air with Piper in his arms.

*** * * * * * ***

For a moment, Aerrow was back in the moment of takeoff from the _Condor_, caught in the alarming grip of free-fall as he and Piper fell earthward. Then, with a deft flick of the wrist, he triggered his battle glider. Emerging from a special compartment on his shield-shaped backpack, bat-like wings spread wide with a metallic _snap_; the azure canvas "membranes" that stretched between those metal frames caught the hurricane gale and turned it into salvation. Momentum did the rest; at the last second, free-fall became flight, allowing the two Storm Hawks to pull up in the nick of time. As they raced above the treetops, Aerrow was dimly aware of his Skimmer plunging through the canopy behind them, unleashing a cacophony of _cracks_ and _snaps_ as it smashed through the foliage. Then there was a muffled crash as the III Ultra finally hit the ground, meeting its end somewhere in the jungle below.

There was no time to mourn the fate of his ride, however—a bolt of lightning split through the sky, providing a grim reminder of why he and Piper had sought shelter on Terra Tropica to begin with. As the ensuing thunderclap shook the air, the red-haired Sky Knight turned his attention to the rain forest that stretched out beneath them. At first, all he could make out was an endless sea of treetops, stirred by the wind into a violent frenzy. Undeterred, he narrowed his eyes, ignoring the cold lash of rain as he strove to pierce the downpour. For a moment, nothing seemed to present itself, but then…

There!" Piper suddenly shouted, pointing at a gap in the canopy back the way they'd come.

"On it!" Aerrow yelled back as he banked hard to the right, his heart leaping as he felt Piper's arms tighten around his neck. As they veered towards the opening in the jungle's canopy, the Sky Knight couldn't help but think that the storm was getting _worse—_by now, its intensity was truly frightening. The rain had become a fierce torrent, soaking him right to the quick. Lightning split the sky in violent bursts, illuminating the dark clouds in moments of angry brilliance. The thunder that followed was too massive for sound alone, reverberating through his eardrums like an ill omen. The howling wind clawed at his glider, threatening to yank him off-course. Finally, there was the hail—by now, it had become a volley of icy razors, slicing beads of blood from him and Piper alike.

It was as if the weather was a living thing…a furious, vengeful spirit that refused to surrender its intended prey.

But Aerrow hadn't come this far to let a storm, no matter how fierce, get the better of him. As he swooped toward the gap in the treetops, the red-haired sky knight leaned this way and that, tilting his wings to displace the wind's attempts to seize his glider. As he got close enough to see through the opening in the treeline—beyond which seemed to be nothing but a vast darkness—a sudden, vague realization flashed through Aerrow's mind. Keeping one arm locked securely around Piper's shapely back and ignoring her yelp of surprise, the teen Sky Knight quickly yanked one of his lightning daggers free from his belt and ignited it. His thumb hit the activation trigger, and a brilliant cyan glow erupted along the edges of the blade. "We'll need all the light we can get!" he had time to shout to Piper, whose eyes were wide as she nodded in understanding.

Then he and Piper were plunging through the canopy, and the world became a maze of tangled branches and dark foliage that whipped by in a blur of green and black. Staccato flashes of lightning provided just enough light to see by, compounded by the vibrant blue illumination that Aerrow's lightning blade gave off. Rain thundered through the trees, cascading upon the two Storm Hawks and rendering vision nigh-impossible. Damp lengths of vine lashed out from the gloom at odd angles; some snagged on the wings of Aerrow's glider and were torn loose by momentum. Branches came whipping out of nowhere, tearing at the canvas "wing membranes" and forcing Aerrow to tilt hard to prevent their jagged tips from finding him or Piper. The deadliest obstacle, however, were the trees— caught in the light from Aerrow's energy blade, they loomed out of the darkness like primordial titans; appearing so suddenly that, immobile or not, they seemed impossible to avoid.

To pull a landing off in such conditions, with little better than a battle glider, wasn't just daredevil…it was _insane_. But Aerrow didn't believe in the impossible, and no feat was too insane for him. Especially not now. There were no Terras or free peoples of Atmos in danger, no diabolical scheme by the Cyclonian Empire…but to Aerrow, the azure-haired teen in his arms—his trusted second-in-command, his closest friend from childhood—was as important as Atmos itself. This time, his adversary was the elements themselves…and he had no intention of losing.

He would _not_ let Piper die.

Guided by some sixth sense, Aerrow weaved back and forth, adrenaline coursing through his veins like wildfire as he evaded the jungle's obstacles—sometimes, so deftly that the incoming tree, vine, or branch clipped the outspread wings of his glider by scant inches. All the while, the red-haired Storm Hawk leaned forward, with Piper's weight aiding their descent as they dropped lower and lower beneath the canopy. The ground came rushing up at them, a thick carpet of lush grass and tangled vines. Leaning backward so that the wings of the glider caught massive air and bled off speed, Aerrow shoved his legs out and braced herself; in his arms, Piper followed suit. Moments later, they touched down—like any aircraft, momentum carried them forward, sending a jolt through Aerrow's legs as his heels dug into the ground and sent grass and soil flying. The two of them were dragged forward several more feet, the teenage Sky Knight gritting his teeth against the strain in his legs as he and Piper were pulled through tall grass and leafy ferns…

…And then, just like that, it was over. Stumbling to a halt, Aerrow found himself in the closest thing that a jungle had to a clearing, surrounded by a surprising minimum of bushes and ferns. At least, as far as he could tell—the glow from his lightning dagger projected ghostly cyan illumination in a (roughly) thirty-foot radius, then gave way to a penumbral darkness. Combined with the feral sounds of the jungle and the din from the storm—to say nothing of the staccato flashes of lightning, or the way the rain caused the foliage to writhe as though alive—and the effect was rather eerie.

But at the moment, Aerrow didn't really notice such minor details. Looking at Piper, the teen Sky Knight was relieved to see that she was okay—she looked shaken, of course, but was otherwise unharmed. At that moment, Aerrow became keenly aware that he was still holding the azure-haired Crystal Mage in his arms…and, from their proximity, aware of a number of other subtle details. He distinctly felt her body against his own, so close that he could feel her heart beating in her chest as her arms rested around his neck. Her face was close to his own, letting him hear the sound of her soft panting as she fought to catch her breath; filling his nose with the scent from her azure hair…and, now that he wasn't focusing on the jungle ahead of them, allowing him a close view of his best friend's amber eyes. And, gazing into those vibrant yellow-orange eyes, Aerrow saw a mixture of emotions—relief, gratitude, excitement, lingering apprehension—that set his own heart pounding.

At that moment, Aerrow found his voice. "Are, um…are you okay?" he ventured, offering what he hoped was a nonchalant grin.

Piper nodded. "Just fine," she said, not bothering to remove her arms from around his neck as she returned his smile. "Looks like I owe you one." Then the Crystal Mage looked around, her smile fading as she took in their surroundings. "Now what, though? Our rides are totaled, and we're stuck here..."

Aerrow shook his head and let his hands slide up to Piper's shoulders, squeezing them gently while he tried to ignore the rain coming down on them. "Don't worry about it," he said firmly. "You're safe, and right now, that's all that matters. We need to find some shelter—after that, we can figure out our next move." He paused, giving her a reassuring grin to try and lift her spirits. "It'll be okay…we've gotten out of worse scrapes in the past, right? Well, we'll find a way out of this one, too."

_Somehow,_ he silently added.

_**To be Continued…**_

* * *

And that's Chapter 5 down! Like I said at the beginning, this took longer because I was struck by inspiration for improvement. For example, I initially planned for Aerrow to lock his Skimmer together with Piper's defunct Heli-Scooter, then try for a controlled landing to put both craft down somewhere in the jungle. When I discussed the idea with my peers, however, I realized that Aerrow could easily pull Piper up onto his own Skimmer and fly away…and since the story required our two Storm Hawks to be stranded in the jungle, I decided to have the consequences of Aerrow's daredevil flying catch up to him. On the official website, it states that Aerrow's special afterburner has a one-in-seventeen chance of overloading when used, so I decided that that would be the catalyst. On the whole, I'd say it worked out a lot better—this way, Aerrow and Piper have no discernable way off Terra Tropica (yet), adding more drama to the situation.

As always, I appreciate any input you can offer me. If you have any advice or suggestions to make—if, for example, you think I'm taking Aerrow or Piper out of character at some point—let me know. If the criticism makes sense, I'll edit as needed.

And don't worry…I haven't forgotten about the mysterious temple in the jungle, or the plight of the rest of the Storm Hawks on the Condor. Some of those issues will be addressed in the next chapter…but I'm not telling how, or when. See you then!

P.S. I swear, I should put up the unused paragraphs and ideas I had, sometime—give an idea of the ideas that've run through my head while working on this.


	6. Chapter 6: Jungle Trek

**Author's Note:** the Storm Hawks series, the events concerned, and the characters are all copyright of Asaph Fipke, Nerd Corps Entertainment Inc., 2007-2010, and any other groups/people that deserve the credit. This is a non-profit work of fanfiction.

Yeah, it's been a while since I put up a chapter up. There's been a number of factors responsible for that—losing my job, getting a nasty bout with a cold, having to focus on studying for finals, getting wrapped up in holiday celebrations with my family…all sorts of crazy stuff…

…but there I go, going on and on. You didn't come here to listen to me rant about my life. You came to read Storm Hawks. And I can oblige you…

* * *

**Chapter Six: Jungle Trek**

Stork let out a weary sigh as he leaned forward against the helm's control panel, his forearms draped over the stalk-like handlebars as he gazed out through the observation port. "Too close," the lanky Merb muttered as he rubbed his temples, massaging the clammy green skin beneath the long, sleek bangs of his jet-black hair. "That….was _way_ too close. By all statistics, we should be dead right now." He paused, shaking his head and allowing himself a morbid little smirk. "Oh, well…plenty of time for that, yet…"

Finn shot him an alarmed look as he leaned over the guardrails, hurriedly making a shushing gesture. "_Shhh!_ Dude, you trying to jinx us, or something?"

Stork rolled his eyes, but fell quiet. Together, he and the resident sharpshooter turned to look out the observation port, taking in the furious tempest that raged outside. Beyond the reinforced glass, the two Storm Hawks could make out an ocean of clouds roiling furiously around Terra Tropica, whipped into a frenzy by the raging storm. The intense winds made flying almost impossible—even the _Condor, _a carrier-class aircraft, shuddered noticeably as the hurricane gale battered against its hull. A lesser vessel would surely have been sent plunging to a fiery doom, smashing upon the jagged rocks of the Wastelands like an eggshell. Assuming, of course, that the craft wasn't ruthlessly hammered by chain lightning, first.

Drawing back as another rumble of thunder reverberated through the canopy, Finn let out a low whistle. "Dude, we're lucky that you managed to get the engines working. If you hadn't pulled it off before the anchor lines _totally_ gave out…"

Stork shrugged. "Yes, I know; horrible death," he observed dryly. "All the odds pointed towards it, y'know— the momentum from our fall, the sudden strain on the engines, our hull scraping against the rocks…and yet, here we are. It's almost…_disappointing_, really." The Merb paused and ran his fingers through his slick black hair, his dark smirk slowly returning. "Oh, well…like I said, we're _still_ nowhere _near_ safe. For all we know, the extra strain on our engines could drain the rest of our fuel, and we'll end up plunging to our deaths. Maybe they'll even _explode_ from all the stress." Another pause, and Stork let out an unhinged chuckle "Who knows? Maybe we'll get hit by a great, sizzling bolt of world-ending _lightning! _Yeah, _that's_ what it'll be—big metal ship in the middle of a massive storm; the odds are probably…"

Finn leaped forward, clamping his hand tightly over Stork's mouth. "Dude! I said _don't_ jinx us!" Pulling back, he rubbed his temples in exasperation. "Seriously, there's this thing called _optimism_—haven't you heard of it?_"_

Stork stared at him blankly for a second or two, stroking his chin with tapering, quasi-reptilian fingers. Then he shook his head, looking puzzled. "No. What is it?"

Finn sighed and shook his head. "Never mind."

The conversation was interrupted by a hydraulic _hiss _as the main door slid open, and Junko burst onto the bridge with alarm stamped on his rhinocerine features. Radaar scampered alongside him, rabbit-like ears twitching and eyes wild with agitation. As mismatched a duo as they were—the lemur-hare's lanky, diminutive frame looked even smaller next to Junko's height of seven muscular feet—their distress was practically identical. As they skidded to a halt before Finn and Stork, Junko looked between the sharpshooter and helmsman with open dismay. "Bad news, guys!"

Stork nodded in grim understanding. "Let me guess…still no sign of Aerrow or Piper?"

Junko shook his head. "Even worse. Me and Radaar looked all over, right? The engine room, the bathroom, _their_ rooms…" The Wallop paused, shaking his head. "But then we checked the hangar…you're not gonna believe this, but Aerrow's Skimmer and Piper's Heli-Scooter are missing!"

Finn stared at his large friend in total disbelief. "Dude. Are you tellin' me…?" Not bothering to finish the thought, he whirled around to stare out the deck's observation port. "You've gotta be _kidding!_" he exclaimed, pointing at the storm that raged outside the _Condor_. "Who'd go out in the middle of _that?_"

"Doesn't matter, does it?" Stork pointed out dryly. "Point is, they're _out_ _there_. Knowing Aerrow, he probably went on a training run, and Piper must've gone with him." Turning to the window, the Condor's helmsman stroked his narrow chin as he regarded the silhouette of Terra Tropica, barely visible in the downpour. "If there's any chance of them surviving, it'll mean that they took shelter on Terra Tropica." He paused, his eyes narrowing as he held up a cautioning finger. "A _very_ slim chance, mind you. There's always the carnivorous beasts, the poisonous flora, the jungle-indigenous bacteria…and, of course, let's not forget that they're _still_ caught in the middle of a major tropical storm…"

Radaar pulled his rabbit-ears over his eyes and let out a whine of dismay, while Finn and Junko stared at each other in alarm. "Then why're we just _standing_ here?" the burly Wallop protested, turning back towards the main door. "We've gotta go help them! I'll get my Skimmer and—!"

Finn grabbed the Wallop's bicep urgently, pointing out the reinforce canopy with his other hand. "Bad idea, dude! Have you seen what it's _doing_, out there?" He paused, offering a valiant attempt at a reassuring grin as he threw an arm around his friend's brawny shoulders. "Besides, I'm sure they'll be _fine_—I mean, it's Aerrow and Piper we're talking about, here! Our resident Sky Knight and our crystal buff! Together, I bet those two could handle just about _anything!_"

Junko frowned, looking unconvinced. "Yeah, but…"

"Finn's right, for once," Stork interrupted, his expression grim as he walked back to the helm, his pale yellow eyes focused on the storm that was raging outside the _Condor_. "The storm's too intense. If Aerrow and Piper made it to Terra Tropica, fine…" He paused and shook his head, a low rumble of thunder underscoring his words. "…but unless this storm lets up, they're on their own."

**...**

**...**

**...  
**

Narrowing his eyes against the downpour, Aerrow approached the tangled mass of vines and ferns that blocked the path, unhooking his dual lightning daggers from his belt. Without breaking stride, the red-haired Sky Knight ignited the twin blades in a surge of sky-blue energy, making the air thrum with ozone as he wielded them in a series of fierce arcs, hacking relentlessly at the impeding foliage. With a series of visceral _crashes_ and _snaps_ that were barely audible over the din of the storm, the thick vines and leaves parted beneath the scything blue flashes of those twin blades, sliced to pieces that were carried away on the howling wind. Pressing forth through the newly-made opening in the greenery, the red-haired Sky Knight paused to look over his shoulder. "How're you holding up, Piper?" he asked, shouting to make himself heard over the wind and rain.

A few feet behind him, his best friend held out her staff in a one-handed grip, producing a brilliant cone of light akin to a flashlight. Ever resourceful, the Crystal Mage had produced a Lumos stone from her satchel and locked it into the weapon's crystal slot—now the gem's inherent radiance was being focused through one of the staff's emitters, lighting the way through the darkness. As the golden-amber illumination played across Piper's dark-hued features, her resolve was obvious—as was the brave smile she offered as she gave him a thumbs-up. "I'm fine!" she called back. "Just keep going; I'm right behind you!"

With a nod, Aerrow turned back to what lay ahead of them, hefting his energy blades in case they were needed again. As he and Piper pressed onward through the maze-like tangle of vines and trees, the Sky Knight found himself keenly aware of his surroundings—with his vision limited by the stormy night, all of his other senses were working overtime. Every step brought a moist _squelch_ as his boots sank into the sandy ground, churned by the rain into a thick, swampy mud. Forcing its way through the canopy, the downpour drummed against Aerrow's shoulders and coursed through his spiky red hair, such a constant by now that he barely noticed it. Every breath flooded his nostrils with the pungent odor of wet foliage and tropical flowers, so potent it was almost overpowering. The screeches and hisses of agitated wildlife reached his ears, emanating from the darkest reaches of the jungle in a sinister cacophony. And, like a dark omen, the storm presided over it all—flashes of lightning threw the forest into stark, momentary relief, followed by the crashing roar of primal thunder.

_If this gets any worse, it'll be a full-out __**hurricane**__,_ Aerrow realized. _All the more reason for us to find someplace to wait it out. _

Then he glanced over his shoulder again. Piper hadn't noticed; she was looking off into the depths of the rainforest with a thoughtful expression on her face, tilting her staff slightly to cast the crystal's light over in that direction. However, behind her apparent detachment, there were hints of worry that she hadn't shown before—she'd hid them well, but the signs were there, all the same. Aerrow could see the anxiety flickering in Piper's amber eyes as they darted around, searching urgently for any sign of shelter. He noticed the way her knuckles had gone white around the haft of her crystal staff, as though a predator might lunge from the darkness at any second. And then, of course, there was the way she absently stroked the distinctive crystal around her neck, as if it were a talisman...some kind of charm that might ward off any further calamity.

Simply put, it was easy to tell that the Crystal Mage was clearly shaken. And probably for good reason—for once, even _Aerrow_ was starting to find the odds rather daunting. And he wasn't too wild about the way it felt.

And yet here Piper was, pressing on and trying to act like it was no big deal. It was amazing how quickly she'd bounced back, especially considering her near-death experience. Certainly, she hadn't gotten away _completely_ unscathed—the hail had ripped and torn her uniform in several places, her normally-flawless skin was streaked with numerous shallow cuts, and her wild azure hair was slightly frazzled around the edges. And yet, whatever miracle had protected Piper from the lightning had done its work well. Against the odds, the Crystal Mage was relatively unhurt…and, with her characteristic spunk, was soldiering on despite the foreboding circumstances.

Not for the first time, Aerrow felt a distinct surge of admiration. _If I had to be stuck out here with anyone,_ he thought quietly,_ I'm glad it was her._

Then the red-haired Sky Knight paused, his thoughts trailing off as he found his gaze lingering on his best friend, taking in details that had little to do with their current situation. Staring at the way the rain cascaded down upon Piper, making her dark skin glisten like wet mahogany as it coursed along her figure in countless droplets. At the way her amber eyes caught the light from the Lumos Stone and reflected it, gleaming like a cat's in the nocturnal darkness. At the way her normally-wild hair was now plastered to her scalp, framing her features in sleek indigo tresses that trailed downward to embrace the base of her neck. And inevitably, the way the rain had drenched through her flight uniform, causing her tunic and trousers to hug her figure like a second skin—one that rather _accentuated_ her shapely, athletic curves…

Instinctively, Aerrow averted his gaze for a moment._ She's…beautiful,_ he thought silently, feeling more than a little surprised by the notion as he hacked through a few more thick vines. Then he paused and thought about it. _No. No, that's not it, really,_ he decided as he looked back towards Piper. If anything, he was more surprised by his _lack_ of surprise—how quickly the realization came, and how easy it was to accept.

_I guess it's something that I've known all along_.

At that moment, a faint gasp cut into the Sky Knight's thoughts, bringing him back to reality. He blinked twice, once more aware of his surroundings…and realized that Piper was staring back at him now, looking surprised and confused all at once. As their eyes met, the Sky Knight felt his pulse quicken, a host of butterflies dancing in his stomach. He was vaguely aware of the fact that he was still walking forward—that the rain was still pounding his shoulders, and his arms were moving automatically to push through the obstructing foliage. However, more than anything, Aerrow found himself wondering how long he'd been staring at Piper. How long had she _seen_ him staring? And what did she think about it? He opened his mouth, not quite sure what was about to come out…

…but whatever he'd been about to say was lost to a grunt of surprise as Piper's free hand shot out and seized his shoulder, her slender fingers squeezing tightly. "Aerrow, stop moving!" she hissed urgently, her expression suddenly alarmed.

The Sky Knight blinked in confusion. "Huh? What do you mea—?" _***Whack***_ "—OW!"

At that moment, his foot slammed headlong into what felt like a mass of bricks, and a stabbing agony shot through his toes despite the protective barrier of his boots. With a yelp of pain, Aerrow recoiled backwards and clutched at his foot…then cursed himself for being so idiotic as he saw the huge, mossy boulder that lay in front of him. Go figure…he'd been so preoccupied by Piper that he hadn't looked where _he_ was going. Only Piper's sudden grab had stopped him from walking headlong into that giant stone. As it was, he'd inadvertently kicked the stupid thing so hard that he was half-surprised he hadn't busted his toes—they _hurt_, but he could bend them just fine. Gritting his teeth, Aerrow shot a glare at the moss-strewn obstacle, half-surprised that a rock this size would be lying around on its own…

"_**Hrrrrrrrnnnnnnggghhhh…"**_

…Except when did rocks growl like _that?_

A surge of shocked disbelief coursed through Aerrow's veins as he stumbled back, watching as the so-called "boulder" began to rise from its curled-up position, a hulking behemoth of slate-gray scales. As massive limbs unfolded themselves from beneath the creature, Aerrow caught sight of primitive three-digit paws, roughly the size of prize watermelons and ending in blunt digging claws. The beast's head was a misshapen, primordial thing, reminiscent of what one might get if they took an armadillo and gave it jutting boar tusks, along with a circular ridge of cranial spikes. A host of bony plates rose amid the matted moss-colored fur on the creature's back, forming a "shell" of sorts that was vaguely reminiscent of a snapping turtle. Finally, a tail uncoiled from beneath the beast and lashed about in agitation—ten feet of tough scales that ended in a thick, bony club. In a way, Aerrow was reminded of an illustration that he'd seen in one of Stork's books—something about dangerous prehistoric beasts. _What was it called again, _part of his mind wondered absurdly, _an ankylosaur?_

Adopting a stout, sloping half-crouch akin to a primate, the creature turned to face Aerrow and Piper, regarding them with beady, reptilian eyes that looked rather small in its brutish head. For a moment or two, the beast sniffed curiously and shifted from side to side, as though puzzled by the new, unfamiliar creatures that stood before it. Sadly, the confusion didn't last long—a few seconds later, the beast loosed a snort that sounded distinctly belligerent, rain-vapor bursting from its nostrils as it took a lumbering step forward. Its massive tail-club smashed against the ground in challenge, plowing a deep furrow in the rich jungle soil.

Instinctively brandishing his lightning daggers as the creature started to advance, the red-haired Sky Knight shot a glance to his best friend. "Uh, Piper?" he asked, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible. "What did I just wake up?"

The Crystal Mage had raised her staff, her amber eyes wide in the stormy gloom. "A wild Torka Beast," she whispered, her voice shaking noticeably as she took a step backwards. "Oh, man…we're really in for it, now!"

Aerrow blinked. _Torka Beast? Where've I heard that before…?_ It sounded vaguely familiar—maybe one of the umpteen "_extremely lethal" _things that Stork had insisted that the team would run into, at some point or another? Looking back at the creature as it took another ponderous step and let out a rumbling growl, Aerrow decided to save jogging his memory for another time—preferably one where he _didn't_ have a wild beast staring him down, clearly agitated by a freak storm. Narrowing his eyes, he hefted his energy blades and slipped into a fighter's stance. He'd have to fight it off—there was no way he was going to let an irate jungle animal punch his ticket. _Or Piper's,_ he added silently.

With that thought, the Sky Knight let his fingers curl around the hydraulic triggers set into the hilts of his twin daggers, squeezing firmly. A galvanized hum split the air as additional power was fed into the dual blades, sending a vibrant surge through the crystal fire that engulfed those serrated edges. As the hum rose steadily in pitch, flecks of sky-blue energy began to drift from the blades and scattered into the surrounding air, hinting at the energy that was barely held in check. The abrupt flare of cyan light seemed to startle the Torka Beast; with a sudden grunt, the creature drew back a couple of steps and stared uncertainly. Then the behemoth's fear seemed to pass—a deep growl rumbled in its throat as it sank into a low crouch, its massive shoulders angled forward as though openly defying the crystal-born lightning that its intended prey wielded in both hands. A charge seemed only moments away.

But Aerrow was ready for it. _Let's see how __**this**__ improves your mood,_ he thought grimly as he pulled his arm back, steeling himself for the slash that would release the excess energy in his blade through sheer momentum…

Except he was suddenly staring at Piper's staff as it leapt up front of him, interrupting his attack. "_Don't!"_ the Crystal Mage whispered quickly. "Torka Beasts have really thick hides—you might just make it _angrier!"_

Aerrow grimaced as he lowered his arm. _Great. Damned if I do; damned if I __**don't. **_Keeping the energy blade out in front of him like a torch, he spared a quick glance to Piper. "I'm open to suggestions…"

Piper blinked at the remark…and started to grin, obviously struck by inspiration. "I think I've got one," she replied with a crafty gleam in her amber eyes. "Just leave this to me…"

With that, she did the last thing Aerrow could have expected—she lowered her staff and let it drop to her side, causing the glow from the Lumos Stone to spread across the forest floor in a wide pool of golden-yellow light. And then, against all logic and reason, Piper started walking _towards_ the Torka Beast, completely defenseless. The reptilian behemoth tensed up visibly at her approach, muscles bunching out in thick cords beneath its moss-and-scale hide as it glowered at her. It didn't take a genius to see that the crystal-savvy navigator was walking the razor's edge—one wrong step, and those sinewy limbs would lash out, easily capable of pulverizing rock…to say nothing of flesh and bone. Already, that massive tail was starting to writhe back and forth, as if preparing itself for that fatal blow.

Part of Aerrow wanted to stop Piper—to reach out and grab her shoulder, pull her back to safety. However, the rest of him—the part that knew better—convinced him not to. _She knows what she's doing,_ he reminded himself. _I mean, she wouldn't do something this crazy if she didn't have a plan._ He paused. _After all,_ he thought wryly, _Going in without a plan is what__** I**__ do. She'll be fine._

The thought reassured him. A little. _I hope, _he added silently.

As if she'd heard him, Piper shivered and drew in a breath, closed her eyes as if to gather her composure…and began to _sing_.

At least, that was the best word for the sound that emerged from the Crystal Mage's throat, somehow overcoming the din of the storm. It was like no song Aerrow had ever heard before—no lyrics or words; no beginning or end…just a rich, throaty mixture of croon and hum that seemed to be more animal than human. And yet, there was something inherently musical about the sound—a soothing, gentle rhythm that seemed to speak of shelter, warmth and security. And then Piper opened her eyes again, those amber pools both unafraid and reassuring as they met the reptilian gaze of the Torka Beast, echoing the sentiment of her song. All the while, her voice grew richer and louder, a primal melody_. Or,_ Aerrow thought to himself, a _lullaby._

And that's when it hit him. _Of course! _he realized with a start._**That's**__ where I heard about Torka Beasts before—Piper mentioned once that she knew eight ways to put one of these things to sleep! _Watching as his best friend continued to serenade the hulking creature, the red-haired Sky Knight couldn't help but grin. _Who'dve thought that would ever come in __**handy**__?_

And sure enough, it actually _did_ seem to be working—as Piper continued to sing, the Torka Beast blinked and grunted softly, somewhere between confused and relieved—as if it had heard the comforting song of its parent. A few minutes later, its eyelids began to droop heavily, and the massive bulk of its ponderous frame swayed gently in perfect rhythm with Piper's impromptu lullaby. Those powerful limbs relaxed, settling forward into a slumping kneel that left its turtle-shell pointing upward to take the brunt of the storm. And then, despite the myriad distractions—the relentless pelting of the rain, the howl of the wind—the Torka Beast lowered its head and closed its eyes, its primordial jaws opening in a gaping yawn. Storm or not, it was going to sleep. Piper's crazy scheme was actually _working._

Aerrow watched the creature doze off for a moment, numb with amazement at this turn of events. Then he lowered his energy daggers to his sides, breathing out a sigh of relief as he turned to look at Piper. "Have I mentioned," he said with a wry grin, "how lucky I am to have you on the team?"

The crystal-savvy navigator rolled her shapely shoulders in a nonchalant shrug, as if it was no big deal…but from the subtle smile of delight that crossed her caramel-hued visage, it was obvious that she enjoyed the compliment. "It wouldn't hurt to hear it more often," she murmured in reply, reaching up to toy idly with a stray lock of her soaked azure hair.

The red-hired teen felt his heartbeat spike, momentarily stealing his ability to reply. And then, in the space of those few seconds, it all went wrong.

Without warning, a rapid-fire volley of chain lightning blasted away the night, slashing the dark sky apart with jagged fingers of sizzling energy. The harsh brilliance filtered through the canopy and threw the jungle into sharp relief—a garish, flickering strobe that painted all and sundry with angry light. The brief moment of illumination cast pronounced shadows and pale radiance throughout the rainforest, making the surroundings appear disjointed and alien as they seemed to loom around the two Storm Hawks like a host of specters. The very air itself seemed charged and chaotic, every stray particle galvanized by this sudden surge of lightning. As the momentary flash faded, Aerrow had about half a second to share a startled glance with Piper. A single instant of blank apprehension. And then…

_**KRAKA-KRAKKA-KAH-BOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM!**_

The thunderclap was a huge and furious thing that defied the realm of sound alone— a colossal, bone-reverberating roar that seemed to resonate in the Sky Knight's bones. It was the sound of the air itself being ripped asunder. It was the unabated fury of a storm. And, most important of all, it was a hammer that struck at the most primal chords of alarm, invoking pure fight-or-flight terror in even the bravest person. Or _creature._

The sudden thunderclap jerked the Torka Beast ruthlessly awake, blasting away any trace of lethargy that had been about to overtake the behemoth. With a shuddering intake of breath, the creature tensed every muscle beneath that scaly hide, boney claws digging into the forest floor while that blunt tail-club thrashed about, gouging out moist chunks of soil. That armadillo-reptilian head lurched back and forth amid a spray of rain-mist, eyes rolling wildly in its head…and then, with awful inevitability, its gaze fell upon Aerrow and Piper. Rearing back onto its hind legs, the Torka Beast let out a throaty roar, bellowing up at the stormy sky with all the blind fury of a berserker.

Aerrow didn't wait for the Torka to finish howling. Just as he started to raise his daggers again, however, slender fingers closed tightly around his wrist. Turning the Sky Knight saw Piper staring at him, her amber eyes wide with a mixture of alarm and warning. Her expression alone said it all—under the circumstances, fighting was suicidal. Which left only one option.

They ran. With several tons of enraged jungle creature right behind them.

_**To Be Continued…**_

_**

* * *

**_

Well, there we are. Long? Yes. Yes it was. Funny thing is, this chapter was originally slated to include a lot MORE…but then I looked at how many pages this was taking up so far, and decided that I'd better split things up in order to make this easier to read in one sitting.

And once again, I apologize for the delay—in addition to the reasons I mentioned above, there's also the fact that I'm probably my own biggest critic. See, I often go back and proof-read my work CONSTANTLY, and perpetually find myself coming up with alternative scenes until I find a combination that feels best to me. For example, the jungle scene originally started out with Aerrow and Piper crouching by the wreckage of Piper's Heli-Scooter, with the Crystal mage finally revealing how she survived the lightning strike that downed her craft (don't worry, I'll be explaining that in a future chapter). Ultimately, however, I decided to scrap the idea in favor of a jungle trek…and that's just ONE of the alternate sequences I wrestled with for a while.

So in conclusion, while I apologize for the delay between chapters, I sincerely hope that what I produce as a result is of sufficient quality and characterization to merit the wait. Thanks for your patience and continued interest—the numerous comments and "faves" I receive are what keep me going! *Grin*

P.S. Maybe after all this is done, I'll include a series of "Lost Sequences" chapters, so y'all can see What Might Have Been. No sense in letting all that material go to waste, y'know?


	7. Chapter 7: Flight through the Jungle

_**Author's Note:**__ the Storm Hawks series, the events concerned, and the characters are all copyright of Asaph Fipke, Nerd Corps Entertainment Inc., 2007-2010, and any other groups/people that deserve the credit. This is a non-profit work of fanfiction._

_Yeah, I know; it's been a while since I last updated this fic. But I made a vow to finish what I started, and I see no reason to let a delay change that policy. After a year of revisions, real-life delays, and other assorted hurdles, I finally present the next chapter in "A Rainy Midnight Run." For those of you who started reading this when I first started producing it, thanks for bearing with me. For those getting into it just now, I hope you enjoy the story. And for those of you who just enjoy the adventures of the Storm Hawks, I hope I've captured their spirit in my writing._

_Whatever the case may be, read on!_

* * *

**Chapter Seven: Flight through the Jungle**

_Why does something __**always**__ go wrong?_

The thought flew through Piper's head as she ran for her life through the jungle, her legs flying with the speed born of desperation. The hissing rush of rainfall and the crashing roar of thunder filled her ears; but neither sound could blot out the crazed, bestial snarls that echoed from behind her…nor the steady, rhythmic pounding of massive feet hammering the ground, punctuated by leafy snaps and hefty splashes. In her mind, Piper envisioned a primordial juggernaut smashing heedlessly through anything in its path, ripping loose vines and branches on its tusks and trampling through puddles in its relentless pursuit. The mental image sent adrenaline surging through Piper's veins like liquid lightning, lending extra speed to her flight as she raced through the stormy darkness.

Maybe later—if there _was_ a later—she'd regret that her plan had failed, or that the other seven methods for making an angry Torka Beast fall asleep were useless when it went completely _berserk_. Right now, though, she had bigger problems…like trying to outrun the frenzied behemoth long enough for her and Aerrow to find a way to escape.

If the jungle didn't get them first. Vines and leaves whipped at Piper's face and arms as she crashed headlong through the undergrowth, and the rain-lashed mud sucked at her boots with a thick viscosity that threatened to send her stumbling at any moment. As the Crystal Mage brought up her staff to beat back the impeding foliage, the light from her Lumos Stone drove back the darkness and illuminated the path ahead in a chaotic jumble of green and black. At least, what little she could _see_—by this point, the downpour had turned her vision into a swimming blur of half-blindness; it was a miracle that she hadn't run straight into a tree or tangled herself up in a bunch of vines. To make matters worse, Piper's legs burned with the growing ache of fatigue; her breath came in desperate gasps as her heart hammered frantically in her chest; and sharp stings of pain lanced along her body as the jagged edges of ferns and branches found her bare skin through the open tears in her uniform. All the while, a stitch began to build up in her side, sending jolts of agony through her with every step.

But she didn't dare stop running. Not for the world.

At that moment, a vibrant flash of electric-blue caught the corner of her eye. Sparing a quick glance to her right, Piper saw Aerrow sprinting alongside her, his energy daggers a scything blur as he slashed away at the impeding foliage. Ferns and vines flew in ozone-laced chunks of shredded greenery, tumbling past the Sky Knight as he hurtled into the undergrowth. In the flashing light of those crystal-powered blades, Piper could the tension on her friend's face; the way his teeth had clenched and his eyes had widened with alarm. As those emerald orbs darted over in her direction, however, the Crystal Mage caught a flash of relief on Aerrow's face, and felt her heartbeat quicken further. That was just like him—even with the Torka Beast bearing down on him, his was more worried about _her_ safety than his _own_.

_Never mind; just run; think about it later; was that the sound of a __**tree**__ bring knocked over—?_

The crackling, leafy creak made Piper look over her shoulder again—and promptly conclude that she was flat-out _cursed_. In the stormy darkness behind her, the lush jungle had become a shadowy blur of vaguely-defined shapes, illuminated by flashes of lightning. Amidst those staccato bursts of harsh brilliance, the Crystal Mage could make out the hulking frame of the Torka Beast as it came smashing through the undergrowth in its wild pursuit. But some cruel twist of fate had decided even _that_ wasn't enough—the ominous creaking was coming from one of the large palm trees that made up the jungle's canopy, one that the Torka had just shoved past. Whether it had been a dying husk dislodged by the storm, or been torn from its roots by the force the creature's berserker charge, Piper couldn't tell. All that mattered was that the massive tree was now toppling, its tangled branches trailing leaves and vines as it plummeted in a deceptively lazy arc…

…_directly towards her and Aerrow!_

"_Look out!"_ Piper shouted as she whipped her staff around to give Aerrow a hard shove, the butt of the steampunk rod catching the Sky Knight in the midriff and sending him stumbling to the right. Even as she heard his surprised yell and felt the mass of his body pushing away, the Crystal Mage hurled herself to the left, trying to get as much distance as possible before gravity took hold. She hit the ground with a moist _thud_ and rolled, forcing as much momentum as possible in order to avoid getting caught in the viscous mud that had engulfed the ground—

—_**KHA-WHAMMMMM**_—

—The massive crash shook the earth, causing Piper's vision to lurch wildly as she was bounced along like a stone skipped across a pond. As she hit the ground with enough force to send bruising flashes of pain along her shoulders and hips, the Crystal Mage's eyes fed her the scene in disjointed chunks: the hulk of the tall tree lying its side amid the spray of muddy water that its impact had kicked into the air; a muted flash of cyan light on the other side of the trunk as Aerrow evidently regained his footing; the radiance from the Lumos Stone locked into her staff, casting light into the jungle at crazy angles as she hugged her staff close to her body—

"_**HrrrrrRRRHHAAAARR!"**_

—And then the light fell across the Torka Beast as it came stomping towards her, illuminating tusk-sized teeth as its armadillo mouth dropped open in a berserk growl. The limbs of its bulky gorilla-esque frame were tensed like piledrivers, and the bone-club tail behind its turtle-shell whipped around dangerously amid a spray of rainwater droplets. In the time it had taken for the tree to fall, the Torka had caught up, its beady light-colored eyes bloodshot with frenzy. Leaning hard to one side, the creature brought its tail up in a fluid arc, the bone-club at its end making the air thrum with momentum as it came whipping downward like a brutal pendulum of death.

Between the disorientation from her sudden tumble and simple blank shock, Piper almost forgot to move. Then pure reflex took over, and she was pushing off the ground and rolling, curling up to offer as small a target as possible—

—_**WHDDD**_—

—The Torka Beast's bony tail-club smashed into the ground so close that she actually _felt_ the displaced air from the impact, pelted by a spray of dislodged mud and grass as she rolled clear. Ground and sky lurched until they seemed interchangeable, threatening Piper's sense of equilibrium…and then she found herself stretched out on her belly a couple of feet away, her heart hammering in her chest from adrenaline. Glancing over to her left, the Crystal Mage felt her blood run cold as she spotted the ragged trench that had been plowed into the rain-lashed soil-a wound in the ground about nine inches deep and thrice as long, bleeding rivulets of rain and scarred by pebbles and roots. Staring at the thick trench, Piper felt a sickening chill run down her spine as she realized just how _close_ it had been—

—_Any slower and that would have been __**ME**_—

A thick, wet noise like rock being pulled loose from wet mud broke into Piper's thoughts, calling her back to reality just in time to see the Torka Beast's tail rising out of the deep gouge in the ground. Above her, the prehistoric behemoth hunched forward as it wound up for another swing. Then there was no more time for thinking, and Piper rolled hard to the right to avoid the blow—

—_**WHDDD**_—

—Another tremor shook the ground as the tail-club missed her by inches, kicking up another geyser of mud and rainwater. This time, the bony tail-club wrenched itself free a lot more quickly, as if the Torka Beast recognized how agile Piper was. Without the chance to get up, she was forced to keep rolling—maybe if she was lucky, she'd get enough distance to—

—_**WHDDD!**_

Without warning, the massive tail-club slammed into the ground, forming a living wall between Piper and the direction she'd been heading! With a yelp of alarm, the Crystal Mage thrust her arms into the ground and flipped onto her back, sprawling to a halt amid a spray of muddy water. Spitting the earthy liquid from her lips, Piper started to push herself upright, her pulse a rapid flutter….but then a dark shadow fell over her, and a belligerent growl made her look up, heart sinking with dread. The Torka Beast's simian-saurian frame loomed over her like a prehistoric colossus, a guttural growl escaping its tusked jaws. Clearly, the beast had figured out how to flank her with its tail-club; all it had to do now was bring one of its massive feet down in a brutal stomp, and it'd be all over for her.

The only choice left was to try and fight—tightening her grip on the haft of her staff as the Torka hunched down and snarled at her, Piper tried to bring the crystal emitter into firing position, fumbling for her crystal pouch with her free hand. She was going to need a miracle…

At that moment, the distinctive _**snap-hiss**_ of ignited energy blades split the air, followed by a defiant battle cry. As the Torka Beast snorted in confusion and started to turn, there was a blur of motion beyond its hulking frame—a solitary figure vaulting over the trunk of the fallen tree and brandishing twin jets of crystal-born lightning. Illuminated in the flickering corona of electric-blue, Aerrow sank into a fighter's crouch atop the vast trunk. In that moment, time seemed to slow, and Piper could make out her best friend's expression in the blazing light—the reckless determination, the steely resolve. Those forest-green eyes closed once, remained shut for an infinite second…and when they opened again, emerald had become flecked with sapphire; the cyan aura from Aerrow's energy blades spreading along his arms until his sleek frame was suffused in sky-blue light. As the energy shaped itself into a pair of ghostly wings, Piper realized what was coming.

_The Lightning Claw,_ she thought silently. _Aerrow's signature attack!_

And then time sped up again, and the Torka Beast was lurching around to face the young Sky Knight. With a guttural snarl, it whipped its saurian tail around in a wide arc, and there was a resounding crash as its massive bone-club smashed into the fallen tree-trunk with a spray of splinters. But Aerrow was already airborne, a blur of cerulean and red amid a spray of splinters. /wreathed in cyan crystal energy. The Sky Knight swung his daggers overhead in mid-leap, the glowing wings flaring wide as their charge built to its peak…and then those twin blades slashed downward, and their power was released as the wings coalesced into a surge of electric blue and shot forward like a thunderbolt.

With its heavy bulk, there was no way for the Torka Beast to dodge. The coruscating cyan blast struck it head-on, sending a serpent's dance of lightning crackling upward along its hulking frame. Bellowing loudly, the Torka stumbled back on its hind legs and shivered wildly as it was engulfed in a nimbus of crystal-born electricity, its armadillo mouth dropping open to expose blunt teeth the size of a man's fist. Limbs like small tree trunks twitched and jerked spasmodically, and the subtle tang of ozone rose from its scaly flesh. And yet, the creature somehow remained upright, beady eyes blinking in a rapid tempo as the corona of electricity engulfing its body began to fade. As Aerrow landed nearby, the Torka Beast began to swing its brutish head in his direction, letting out a shaky growl as it took a lurching step towards the young Sky Knight.

_Not hurt, maybe, but it definitely __**felt**__ that,_ Piper decided. _It's off-balance, maybe dazed. Gotta keep it that way…!_

Thinking fast, the Crystal Mage scrambled to her feet. Whirling her staff, she thrust the emitter towards the Torka Beast's head, catching its primordial head in the glare of the Lumos Stone's spotlight. Just as the behemoth turned its gaze back upon her, Piper thumbed a control dial on the steampunk rod and squeezed the emission trigger. With an audible _snap_, the spotlight glow from the staff's emitter flared up to the intensity of a small sun, illuminating the Torka Beast's primordial visage in stark relief…and sending a shaft of focused light directly into a pair of eyes that had become accustomed to stormy darkness.

The effect was immediate and total. The Torka Beast howled and recoiled from the blinding light, shaking its head wildly as it brought up simian forepaws rose to rub furiously at its eyes. Feeling a crazy surge of relief, Piper turned from the debilitated behemoth and ran over to Aerrow. The red-haired Sky Knight was already hefting his crystal daggers, but Piper knew pressing the attack was a waste of time—the Torka's blindness wouldn't last forever. Grabbing Aerrow's wrist, the Crystal Mage pointed wildly in the direction that they'd been running.

"Come on!" she yelled at him, "Before it recovers!"

Aerrow hesitated for a second, but one look at the Torka Beast seemed to convince him. Turning away from the giant creature, he twirled his daggers once and took off into a running sprint, with Piper right behind him. Even as the Torka's stentorian growl began to rise behind them, the two Storm Hawks were plunging into the undergrowth, crashing through the foliage in total flight. Once again, the world dissolved into a tangled maze of verdant darkness, green and black interspaced with flashes of lightning. Piper's awareness was engulfed in the instinctive bursts of fight-or-flight response; details came in bits and pieces. The rain beating down on her head and shoulders. The branches and vines leaping out at unexpected angles. Her staff leaping out by reflex, batting away the obstacles that Aerrow's slashing blades missed. The rapid squelch of the sandy mud beneath her boots, the viscous suction that tried to seize her movement. That stabbing pain in her abdomen as her stitch returned, exacerbated by the frantic gasps for air that filled her lungs.

And then suddenly, there was no more jungle, only stormy sky and a sudden sense of vertigo. Instinct took hold before Piper even realized what was happening; her heels dug into the ground as she skidded to a halt, and beside her, she was aware of Aerrow doing the same. As her senses caught up to her, Piper realized that they'd found a gap in the rainforest…_literally_. As another burst of lightning lit up the sky, the Crystal Mage found herself standing at the edge of a narrow cliff, her feet just inches away from the ledge. Dislodged pebbles skittered down an embankment so steep it was almost vertical, disappearing into the stormy darkness below. Was that pounding surf down there, or a thick canopy of trees lashed into motion by the wind? In the gloom, Piper couldn't tell. All she knew was that it was a _long_ way down. They'd have to find another way around…

…except there wasn't one. Left and right both led from the precipice back into the jungle, and in the depths of the undergrowth, Piper could hear a distant snarling that was drawing closer and closer. In a few minutes, the Torka Beast would catch up with them again. Feeling the knife's edge of panic raking down her spine, Piper cast about for a solution. _Dodge around it, and run back into the jungle? _she wondered._ No, that won't work—there's not enough room to get around before it can use its tail. Come on, __**think!**__ Okay…maybe if me and Aerrow split up and take opposite sides, the Torka won't know which way to—_

Without warning, Aerrow's voice broke into Piper's train of thought. "Here, catch!"

Blinking in surprise, Piper turned just in time to see Aerrow tossing one of his daggers in her direction. Instinctively reaching out to catch it by the handle, the Crystal Mage noticed that the serrated "blade" of the dagger's emitter had gone dark—Aerrow had switched the power off before throwing it to her, causing the sky-blue energy to withdraw from the metal it usually engulfed. Confused, Piper looked back at Aerrow, but before the question had even started to form on her lips, her best friend was crouching by the edge of the cliff. Leaning over the side, the teenage Sky knight studied the steep incline intently, his eyes narrowed in thought. Then he nodded in satisfaction and thumbed the power switch on his remaining dagger, the cyan glow fading to leave the emitter blade bare. Twirling the crystal-powered weapon so that he now held it in a reverse grip, Aerrow swung his legs over the ledge and dug his heels into the cliff face, ignoring the dizzying drop as he began to ease himself over the side.

Piper stared at him in disbelief. "What are you…?" Then it hit her. "Oh. Oh, no. You aren't _seriously_ thinking of…?"

But Aerrow was already sliding himself over the cliff, clinging to the ledge with both hands. Thrusting his remaining blade into the thick, mossy mix of sand and rock, the Sky Knight looked up at her and flashed a valiant grin. "Unless you've got a better idea," he admitted.

And for once, Piper _didn't_. Stammering incoherently, she tried to think of something else—_anything_ else. Just then, a leafy crash reached her ears, the throaty growl of the Torka Beast followed, and the Crystal Mage knew she was out of time. The Torka Beast would come crashing out of the jungle at any second, and the only way out was over the edge. Cursing inwardly, Piper thumbed a button to retract her staff, the steampunk rod's segments drawing in upon the central haft with a series of metallic _**clicks**_. Securing her staff to a loop in her belt, the Crystal Mage dropped into a crouch and slid herself halfway over the cliff, gripping the jungle grass tightly with one hand to avoid plunging to her death. As she jammed the blade-emitter of Aerrow's dagger into the sandy rock of the incline, Piper glanced over to Aerrow with a mixture of worry and exasperation.

"If we die from the fall, I'm going to kill you," she admonished, trying to mask her nervousness with bravado as she dug her heels into the cliffside.

It was a pretty hopeless effort—the concern in Aerrow's green eyes as they met hers said it all—but still, he offered a nod and a good-natured wink as he followed suit. "I'll hold you to that."

Piper had to laugh at that, even if her voice was a little shaky. And then, ignoring her common sense, she let go of the ledge. So did Aerrow. The last thing she saw before the clifftop shot upward was the Torka Beast crashing out of the undergrowth, its tusk-laden jaws dropping as it saw its aggressors vanish.

And then Piper and Arrow fell together, into the shadowy abyss below.

Or rather, they _skidded_—with their blades anchoring them to the cliff face, the two Storm Hawks plummeted along the steep incline as though they were snowboarding. A muddy spray flew from the serrated edges of the blade-emitters as they plowed a pair of jagged trenches in the mossy wall, providing just enough traction to prevent Aerrow and Piper's fall from achieving terminal velocity. As it was, Piper gasped reflexively as she bounced against rocks and roots in the cliff-side, the debris scraping her exposed skin from dark cocoa to an angry, burning red. Already, her fingertips and toes ached through her gloves and boots, throbbing with the strain of keeping purchase in the nigh-sheer incline of sand, moss, and stone. Wet sand and loose pebbles flew from the trench her blade carved through the steep cliffside, splattering across her face and half-blinding her. Through it all, the sense of free-fall hung in her belly like a hollow void, and the liquid surge of adrenaline burned through her veins with the realization that death was only a single mistake away.

But she ignored the pain—there _was_ no pain, damn it! Gritting her teeth, Piper dug her heels deeper into the mossy incline and tightened her grasp on Aerrow's blade, pressing herself against the cliff even as she skidded downward at near-breakneck speed. The rubble scraped at her flesh, the impacts jolted her abdomen and shoulders, but she forced herself to endure—a few bruises and cuts were nothing compared to what would happen if she lost her grip. As her fingers went numb around the hilt of Aerrow's dagger, Piper lost track of how long she and Aerrow had been plunging down the steep cliff face. Seconds? Minutes? It didn't matter…this was a crazy idea, but she'd ride it through to the bottom, no matter what. It wasn't like they were dead yet, right?

A few moments later, Piper felt something she hadn't dared hope for—the cliff face she was sliding along was beginning to elongate, curving into a steady incline that was building towards a slope. Even better, her descent was actually starting to _slow down_. Exhilaration surged through Piper's spine—for all its sheer insanity, this crazy little stunt was actually _working._

Without warning, a jolt ran up her arm as the earth that her dagger had plunged into suddenly gave way in a shower of muddy sand and tiny stones. There was a sickening lurch in Piper's stomach as gravity took hold, a single time-melting moment in which the realization of her imminent fall exploded in her mind with a sunburst of terror. Absurdly, she found herself thinking of the time she had visited Terra Neon and taken a ride on the Death Spiral. When the roller coaster had reached the zenith of its climb, there was a moment of perfect clarity—the instant the cars began to dip forward into their death-defying plunge, that dread anticipation of the inevitable. This was that instant all over again…only this time, there was no safety harness to protect her.

And then she was sliding again, skidding along the steep embankment like greased lightning. Piper was gasping, yelping, too shocked to actually scream; she scrabbled wildly for purchase, her fingers digging into the sandy mud for some kind of handhold. But the mossy sand was too soft under her fingers; her speed was building by the second; she didn't even have time to plunge her dagger back into the cliff face as she began to fall. Momentum started to pull Piper away from the ledge, and that alarming sense of free-fall began rising in her gut as she started to cry out in earnest…

There was a shout from overheard, and a flash of cyan light. Piper looked up just in time to see Aerrow's dagger re-igniting, casting his alarmed features in a cyan glow as the energy blade blazed through the muddy sand of the cliffside. In the space of a few seconds, Aerrow had skidded close enough to reach her; his hand shooting out at the last second to seize her wrist just before she could fall. A jolt ran through Piper's arm from the aborted momentum, for a single moment, her mind was blank with adrenaline and relief.

Then Aerrow's blade came loose from the Cliffside, the ignited energy unable to find any traction. For a few heart-stopping moments, Piper's world became a heart-pounding blur of motion; she was vaguely aware of throwing her arms out around her best friend's waist, of the scream that tore from her throat and into the thundering sky. Then she and Aerrow were falling together, mud and grit spraying in their wake as they skidded down the steep embankment…

_**WHUMPF!**_

…for about five seconds.

For a moment, Piper was disoriented, aware only of a dull ringing in her ears, the pounding of her heart, and the pungent smell of rain-lashed earth flooding her nostrils as the world lurched around her. Then she shook her head and blinked hard, and everything stopped spinning. She found herself sprawled out on her belly, lying amidst the muddy sand and tangled vines and grass that comprised the carpet of the forest floor. Tilting her head upward, Piper saw the near-vertical slope of the cliff she and Aerrow had been sliding down, jutting upward into the stormy darkness like a primordial edifice. Narrowing her eyes against the steady downpour, she could make out the muddy trails in the cliffside where she and Aerrow had been sliding. From the look of it, their grip had failed about fifteen feet from the ground. It hadn't been a very long drop at all.

Piper could have laughed at her stroke of good luck. Except that she was suddenly aware of something else, something quite different from the moist earth and the rain. There was a supple pressure against her body as though she was entangled with someone else; she could feel the embrace of toned arms around her shapely back, the feathery tickle of breath against her throat. A moment's confusion, and then Piper remembered—as she'd started to fall, she'd grabbed out blindly for something, _anything_, to use for a handhold. She'd ended up seizing Aerrow around the waist, and his other hand had found her shoulder. They had fallen together, hitting the ground and tumbling over and over…

Feeling her heartbeat spiking, the Crystal Mage lowered her head, blinking a couple of times as her eyes got used to the darkness. And found herself lying on top of Aerrow, her thighs astride his hips and her body pressed up against his. They were so close that she could feel every sleek contour of his toned figure—his broad shoulders beneath her fingertips; the trim surface of his abdomen against her taut belly; the gentle weight of his palms resting absently on her back. At the moment, Aerrow looked half-dazed from the tumble down the cliff, his green eyes unfocused and staring at nothing. Without his usual daring and confidence, the Sky Knight's features seemed a lot more vulnerable. Boyish, even. And yet somehow, it was rather flattering—it was as if she was being shown something private, a secret entrusted to her alone.

Without warning, Aerrow let out a low groan and blinked a couple of times, obviously recovering. Before Piper could think to push herself off him, the Sky Knight shifted, as though surprised at the unexpected weight upon his body. And then he looked up and saw her, his eyes going wide as realization set in.

Piper felt her cheeks grow warm. Between the downpour and their tumble , Aerrow's face had become spattered with mud and bits of grass, and his normally-spiky hair was now plastered to his head. And yet his eyes were bright and alert in that earthy mask, emerald orbs that gazed up at her with a wild mixture of emotions. He was surprised and nervous, of course; that was a given under the circumstances. But there were hints of something more in those forest-green depths…something that made Piper's pulse quicken as she tried to identify them.

Excitement?

Interest?

_Desire?_

For a moment, everything around Piper seemed to fade away, melting into nothingness. There was no rain, no darkness, no stormy jungle…just Aerrow, lying there beneath her. Inexplicably, she felt a sudden urge to bury her head against his shoulder and inhale the scent of his hair, bask in that subtle tang of sweat beneath the pungency of jungle flora. To let her fingers dance across his shoulders and arms, tracing the athletic muscle beneath that cerulean-and-red flight suit. To let whatever happened after that…just _happen_.

Then Aerrow's voice cut into her thoughts. "Piper? Uh…are you okay?"

The Crystal Mage blinked, and reality came flooding back to her. Hoping that the darkness hid her blush, she looked down at Aerrow and managed a shy smile. "I, um…yeah," she murmured softly, not sure what else to say. It occurred to her that she should probably get off him, but her legs didn't seem to want to respond. For that matter, Aerrow didn't seem to be in any hurry to get up—though he looked uncharacteristically nervous, he made no effort to try and push her off. As their eyes met again, Piper felt a strange tingle run along her spine, and wondered if Aerrow felt it, too.

Trying to ignore her pounding heartbeat, Piper looked away and scanned their surroundings, looking for something to change the subject. As her gaze swept along the cliff they'd slid down, she saw that the rainforest started up again nearby, a wall of palm trees and vines. She and Aerrow were in a clearing that seemed to run the length of the cliff's base, giving the Crystal Mage a good look at the stormy sky. Presently, another bolt of lightning danced amid the clouds, a jagged fork of vivid white tinged with electric violet…

And by that moment of stark light, Piper saw it. Her mouth fell open in surprise, and she stared blankly.

Beneath her, Aerrow blinked in confusion. "Piper? What is it?" Then he followed her arm as she pointed, and stared at what he saw. Then a look of incredulous relief crossed his face, and he chuckled softly. "Huh. How about that? We finally caught a break."

Piper could only nod, a faint smile stealing its way across her face as the first warm flutter of relief bloomed in her chest. Wordlessly, the Crystal Mage disentangled herself from Aerrow and pushed herself upright, trying not to think about how good it had felt. As the young Sky Knight joined her, the two of them lifted their arms to ward off the rain, gazing at the unexpected answer to their prayers.

Some distance away, the mossy rock and soil of the cliff face gave way to a large fissure, roughly seven feet wide and twice as tall. Though some thick vines from the cliff-side foliage hung over the gap like a tangled curtain, it was obvious that it wasn't just a shallow crack—judging from the thick darkness that lay within, the tunnel went back far enough to be a proper cave. And a few feet away, incredibly enough, lay a heap of battered metal and scorched rubber with a twisted set of helicopter blades—Piper's crashed Heli-Scooter. Of all the places in the jungle, they'd ended up where the hybrid vehicle had crashed after she'd been forced to ditch it in the skies above Terra Tropica.

But strokes of good fortune aside, the cave meant something a lot more important: shelter from the storm, and a chance to recuperate in relative safety.

Aerrow had summed it up perfectly. They'd finally caught a break.

_**To Be Continued…**_

* * *

_Well, there you have it. Once again, I apologize for the delay. Chalk it up to a mixture of real life, writer's block, and my decidedly perfectionist self-critique. I've literally written blocks and blocks of text before settling on a paragraph that reads decently. The first sentence alone—Piper's internal pondering of why something always goes wrong—went through several changes before I was finally happy with it. Maybe it's a bit obsessive, but I like to shoot for novel-quality regarding my creative writing. The end result is that much more entertaining to read, don't you think?_

_The fight with the Torka Beast and the cliff-slide that followed took some time to work out as well—I'd decided to establish that the behemoth was near-invincible to normal weaponry, so I had to think of a way Aerrow and Piper could stun the beast…and how they could elude it permanently afterward. More importantly, I wanted Piper to have her own moments of heroism, and not be reduced to the damsel that Aerrow had to protect; that's why I had Piper blind the Torka Beast with her Lumos Stone…and why she had the presence of mind to grab Aerrow and run before the behemoth recovered. It wasn't a fight they could win, so she showed the foresight that anyone who's watched the show can expect from out resident Crystal mage._

_I also wanted to throw in some additional ship-tease moments, so I added the part where Piper ended up on top of Aerrow after their little cliff-diving episode. But trust me, as charged and suggestive as that moment was, the majority of the romantic moments will become evident in the next chapter. Just wait and see._

_As always, comments and criticism are appreciated. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!_


End file.
